Hope for the Harrowed
by 12interestingname34
Summary: Jaune Arc lost everything. His family's love, friends, and the one woman he thought would understand him. Life couldn't get worse right? A Bullhead hijacking, two months of torture and experimentation would beg to differ. He was no longer human, but damn it all he would not lose his humanity. Rating may change, pairings undecided.
1. Escape

I didn't put up a poll. Why? Because the thoughts of what I wanted kept swirling in my head. I kept reading things over and over again until the ideas stuck firmly.

I am going to write this fanfic.

Why? Because it wouldn't leave my head. So here it is.

Now I will delve into more backstory later, as most of you can see this is just a very extended version of the preview in chapter 21 of **Theater**, however, as you will see there will be changes. I have the actual plot and story in my head now. I just need to fill in the details. And I want you guys to enjoy this ride with me!

**WARNING:** There will be some dark thoughts in this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own RWBY or anything that I will eventually reference in this story!

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Bleary blue eyes open at the sound of metal clanging. Jaune Arc, age seventeen, looked around the room he was in. It was dark, dank, and very dreary. All he had was the cot he was on and a toilet and sink, but even that was terrible. The cot was made of straw and the blanket was moth ridden, barely protecting from the cold. The sink gave out terrible water that wasn't even safe enough to drink. Heck, he wasn't sure that it was clean.

It was still better than eating with hands that had touched his butt.

But that didn't matter for the moment. No, what mattered right now was his captors coming in.

Getting to his feet, Jaune prepared himself. Even with what little Aura he had, braced himself as two metallic men entered, Atlesian Knights-2000's. However, instead of the white or grey color that is usually associated with Mantle's security force, these were colored black with a stylized M on it.

"Fellas," Jaune greeted. Sure, his bravado would usually get him hurt even more but he was just so tired of their shit. He braced himself with his Aura as a fist collided with his face. One thing the blonde had figured out was that even with the small amount of Aura he could recover during this torture, it was enough to put up more than a decent shield.

So when the metallic hand collided with it, he may have felt the impact but it was the robot that had a dented fist. However, because he flared it around his face the second one got his stomach making him lose his focus. Spittle came out of his mouth, as he was forced onto his knees and a third punch connected to his face this time.

The beating went on for a few minutes before his bruised body was dragged out of the cell and tossed onto the ground. "Jaune!" a feminine voice called out. His unbruised eye looked above him as someone gently grabbed his head. It was a woman who looked so eerily like his former partner Pyrrha. Red hair, green eyes, soft worried eyes.

"_No, that's wrong. Pyrrha lost those,"_ Jaune thought to himself. "_I hadn't noticed until my expulsion but Pyrrha lost those caring eyes."_

This one was Atalanta Nikos, the younger twin sister of Pyrrha Nikos. And much to her own words, the forgotten child. The two had met during the last few days at Beacon. When his dream fell apart, she had supported him in any way she can.

Namely, because she was so baffled as to why her loving sister would betray his trust and affection for his bully instead. Yes, Pyrrha had suddenly had fallen in love with Cardin Winchester, much to the bafflement of those around them. That was a big blow to his pride and joy. Jaune thought that they cared for one another. It seemed like it was only one-sided on his end.

That was when he met Atlanta. She was there to visit for the Vytal festival under her parents' request. Safe to say she was not happy, both at her sister's actions and her being there only to be ignored again. So for those last few days, it was Jaune, Atlanta, Nora and Ren that hung out. Pyrrha was too busy with Cardin to even join them in their farewell activities for Jaune.

Then of course on the Bullhead back home had been hijacked by some people. They didn't say who they were but that they were on a detour. The said detour took them into the Land of Darkness and the whole ordeal started.

A man with a mustache that can only that could only be matched by Prof. Port had stood before them. He didn't give his name but did say what would happen.

They were test subjects to a very dark experiment. Those who resist would get tortured even more than those who didn't. Of course, those who were Hunters were beaten down as an example. Legs broken, as was their arms, it was to make sure the people would not fight back.

Jaune didn't do that for a single reason. Atlanta was with him. He would have shown some anger at the whole thing if he was on his own, but there was someone with him on this trip. He didn't want to risk it.

"Jaune," Atlanta said to him holding his head. Her voice bringing him back to the present.

"You shouldn't be helping me," Jaune replied as he slowly got up. "Last time you did, they beat you up even more." He gently pushed the redhead away but she refused to move.

"Jaune they can't do any worse than what they've been doing to me," Atlanta replied as she stood near him. "Thankfully they haven't done something that is….unspeakable." The redhead frowned. "I'm surprised no one had been raped for this."

"Seems like beatings, druggings and whatever else they do to us," Jaune frowned. His tired blue eyes looked around and saw that rogue robots stood at attention, guns at the ready. From what he learned, they didn't want to kill any of them. Broken and bloody yes, but not dead. However, there was no limit to what they can do to hurt them.

More clanging could be heard and Jaune looked up. From the ceiling, tiny droids dropped down, placing tiny rations and plastic bottles of water in front of them. At least these seemed cleaner than the ones that water pumped into their rooms. He took the tiny piece of bread, protein and whatever else was in that bar of nutrition.

He took a couple of bites before turning to Atlanta who had already finished her bar. Jaune held out his bar to her while drinking his water. "Take it," the blonde said. Green eyes turned to him and she frowned.

"You need to eat too," she replied. Jaune carefully placed it into her hand.

"You and I both know that I don't need that much," he replied. "I haven't needed a lot for a long time."

His mind went back to another revelation that came about in the last few weeks He finally understood why his mother and sisters treated him just out of arms reach. A single Scroll call had broken him of his delusions of family.

Saphron had told him, that after running away, his family finally felt at peace. That with his leaving, the rest of the Arcs felt happy. When asked why Saphron stated the obvious.

He was shocked to hear the disdain and dismissal in her voice. When he called his other sisters and mother, they didn't even speak to him. The Arc matriarch was the same, no words were spoken. When he tried calling his father, Jaune had felt hurt that he wasn't there to help out the situation.

It made sense as to why he was always given less food when his father wasn't there. Why they seemed to not like him and they belittled him. It also explained why he was treated more like a girl than a boy. It seemed that the women in his family did not like him.

Now he'll never get to know. Jaune was sure he would die here.

Back in reality, he felt Atlanta take his portion and gave a small smile. She began to nibble on it as she sat on the dirty floor in this prison. Jaune wished he could do more for the people here, but how could he? The actual Hunters were being beaten, what can he, a failed academy student do?

A few minutes later they were herded back into their rooms, where the next phase of their day would begin.

The would-be hero was barely able to gain any Aura from the rest he had during breakfast, nor the food. He wouldn't be able to protect himself as he did this morning. So when three of the Errants, yes he'll call them that because those things were no longer knights, entered he was given a harsh beating.

He could always feel his Aura take the first hit but immediately go into the red after. He would be on the ground as the metal men would rain down punch after punch, kick after kick onto him. They even threw him around and beat him into the ground.

He was pretty sure that he had lost a couple of teeth. Not to mention the either cracked or bruising ribs, his broken left arm, and once again swollen eye. The young man didn't even have the energy to drag himself to the cot after that.

So he laid there on the dirty stone floor, dreading the next part of the day. It only took moments before Jaune fell unconscious from the pain.

He awoke to the sound of skittering and some growling. The blonde could feel his Aura having kicked in again as it slowly started to mend itself. However, that didn't matter. The thing in his room didn't need to hurt him physically.

No, this Grimm attacked its prey mentally.

"No...please no…" Jaune begged, but like the robots, the Grimm didn't care. Having no strength, he couldn't even get up. "I hate Ansi."

"And they hate you as much as we do," a voice called out. He focused on the person standing off to the side. Standing there was none other than his older sister Saphron. She had a smirk on her face as she leaned against the wall.

"You're not real...go away…" he said. "They're not real."

"We're very much real Jaune," a second voice said. He saw Pyrrha standing there, in a pretty red dress. The one she showed off to him that she would be wearing to the dance. The one where he was originally going to go with her until all of this just threw a wrench in his plans. The love of his life was squatting, giving him a teasing view up the dress but showed nothing. "And you know it. You know how no one cares."

"Shut up," Jaune tried to block out the voice, but it was a futile effort. After all, this was all in his head.

"No one cares for the poor Vomit Boy," a third voice continued. The last one was his former best friend, Ruby Rose. The one who threw him away as soon as Pyrrha revealed her love for Cardin. The one who left him with a hurting heart.

"It's not real," Jaune repeated to himself. "It's not real." He felt someone touch his face, but he knew it wasn't happening but this was worse than the beatings.

"You will never be enough Jaune," Ruby whispered into his ear. "Never a good enough friend."

"Never a good enough lover," Pyrrha laughed as she pressed a heel into his chest.

"And never a good enough brother," Saphron grinned as she towered over him.

"Shut up…" his voice had less bite to it and his breath hitched. Even after all these days, this was his biggest fear and pain.

"You are just never enough," Ruby told him. "You'll always be a loser."

"A loner," Pyrrha continued.

"And a leftover no one wants," Saphron taunted. Jaune was panting and tears were going down his face.

"Please stop," Jaune begged. "Just stop it." He wanted to curl up into a ball, to hide away from all of this, but he was too hurt to do os.

"Why don't you just give up Jaune," Ruby told him. "You have friends."

"You don't have a chance at fucking anyone," Pyrrha laughed as her hand dragged itself against his stomach. Going closer and closer to his crotch but never get there.

"And your family has no fondness for you," Saphron mockingly cooed.

"Just give up." The three women chanted. "Give up. Give up."

The young man had cried himself to unconsciousness once more. Those three women were...used to be the closest people he had to him. To hear them repeat the greatest hits of his worst moments, it always hurt his heart. It hurt more than the beatings and the starving they did.

After all, why would food and his body matter?

Why should he care for himself, when no one else did?

Dinner was a similar affair to breakfast, just without the false bravado. Dragging himself into the middle of the prison, he sat down and waited for his food. When he didn't hear the familiar sound of Atlanta's voice, Jaune took a quick look around. He didn't spot the redhead anywhere. "Oh, that's not good," he frowned.

Getting up, he made his way to the cell he knew was hers. Looking inside, he saw her sobbing and curred up in a ball. The Errants didn't look at him as he entered. Jaune knew that he shouldn't, that it could just cause more pain for either of them, but Brothers damn it, how can he say he was aspiring to be a Hunter if he can't console one person?

Going inside, Jaune slowly grabbed Atlanta and slowly hugged her.

"_This hurts,"_ he thinks to himself as his friend hugged him back and sobbed even harder. "_A girl who looks like the one who broke my heart is crying in my lap for who knows what reason? What did we do to deserve this?"_

All he could think of was they were on the wrong Bullhead at the wrong time.

"I want to go home Jaune," Atlanta cried. "Even if my parents don't know I'm there, I want to go home…" He could feel her shaking in his arms. The girl who looked like the Invincible

He wanted to say the same, Jaune truly did. That he wanted to go home, but...he didn't have a place to call home. Beacon wasn't, Ansel wasn't, and he really couldn't think of a place that he can consider a safe place for him. And that made him tear up too.

"I know Atlanta, I know," Jaune whispered back.

"Well, isn't this an endearing sight," someone said from the door. Standing there was the Mustache man. He didn't even remember his name, but Jaune didn't care. This was the guy who caused all their misery. This asshole…

"Good, good. Experiment number 01145. Not only do you show good reactions to despair, but you have a good reaction to rage," the man said to his Errant next to him. "And it's fine for you to be holding on to Experiment number 10122. These last few minutes won't matter. Drag them out."

The Errants entered the room and grabbed Atlanta who started screaming as she was dragged by her hair. Jaune meanwhile was grabbed by the throat as he tried to tackle the robot.

"Let her go damn it!" he shouted at the Mustache Man.

"Once we get outside I will," the Mustache Man replied before he walked off.

Jaune meanwhile started to struggle against the metal fingers around his throat. He was losing air and quick. Blue eyes frantically looked around and saw that Atlanta was just ahead of him in the hallway still being dragged.

Before he could run out of air, he was tossed from the second-story window onto the, surprisingly, soft ground. Jaune took long, deep breaths, before quickly looking around. The Land of Darkness was exactly how it sounded.

Much like the prison that was in the lands, it was dark, dreary and dank. It was mostly dark and arid too. It was akin to a desert. It was cloudy despite the sun being out. There were far more people on that Bullhead than he had thought too. That or there were more than just the Bullhead that he and Atlanta were on.

"Shit! Atlanta!" he shouted. Jaune looked around and saw that she was freaking out. "Atlanta!" Running to her, he took her by the shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Me? Are you?" she asked. Her green eyes landed on his neck and saw the bruises.

"I'm fine. Why do you think they let us out?" The blonde looked around and saw that many people were having panic attacks, others were running away, and...some people were just sitting there already broken.

"Attention, please," the Mustache Man said and everyone looked up and saw that he was standing atop the prison...which was taller than he had expected. "Thank you for these two months of service all of you have done for me and my lady."

Murmurs broke out within the crowd, even those that were running stopped for a moment.

"And in her spectacular gratitude, she would like to give you all a speech. Beholder, Lady Salem," the Mustache Man finished. Screams of horror erupted. Joining the Mustache Man on the balcony was a woman who was in a black dress. Her skin was all white, but the black veins on her face, sclera and the red eyes.

"She looks like-" Atlanta gasped.

"-a Grimm…" Jaune whispered. The sight of her was scary, to say the least, but everyone shouting in fear or a craze.

"Silence," her voice echoed throughout the lands. "I am Salem. And as my associate Merlot said, I would like to thank you for your services." Jaune instinctively took a step in front of Atlanta, who had grabbed his arm. "For you see, these two months were all for one purpose, for one goal."

"Oh, yeah? And what is that!?" a man shouted from the crowd. He was one of the few Hunter's Jaune had seen.

"To bring forth a new species! To show the world that even in their advancements, humans and those beasts are nothing before the Grimm." Salem raised her hands. "All the things you were put through, all the pain, and torture were all for this moment."

"Jaune I'm scared," Atlanta whispered. He was too and Jaune could feel his heart hammering in his chest.

"What moment is that?" Jaune shouted. Salem's eyes snapped to him and it felt like he was going to die when she looked at him.

"Your evolution from those mortal shells," Salem grinned. "To become a new kind of Grimm." Everyone started shouting, at her even in their fear. "Behold and be born!"

As she spoke the clouds parted and the slightly bright sky darkened. Everyone looked up as they saw the fractured moon eclipse the sun.

Jaune felt his chest hurt and felt the sensation of falling. Or was he falling? Because in the next moment, he was on his knees and it felt like his insides were being torn apart. Next to him, Atlanta was screaming.

Or was it him?

He was pretty sure it was both, since his throat felt like it was on fire. His eyes were all blurry as he slowly collapsed even more. Jaune could hear some odd chanting coming from somewhere. And then the damn scuttling and growling.

Why were the Ansi here?

More and more shouting filled the air as the eclipse loomed over them.

The hallucinations reappeared once more. Ruby, Pyrrha, and Saphron all surrounding his form. Upon seeing them, Jaune felt something..._break_. Looking down he saw purple cracks appearing at his chest. Slowly, the began to spread.

"You are nothing," the three said in unison. Jaune grit his teeth and clenched his fists. The cracks went from his chest down to his abs, slowly wrapping around his body.

"I don't understand why mom and dad even had you," Saphron sneered. Jaune yelled in pain as the cracks covered his legs and arms now, slowly getting more and more closer to his head.

"I'm sorry, Jaune, but...I love Cardin. I never loved you," Pyrrha taunted as an illusory Cardin appeared and she draped herself on the bully's shoulders. He couldn't see it but his eyes had turned red. Next to him, Atlanta was very much the same. Flecks of white bone began to appear around his face.

"Jaune, stop talking to me," Ruby said before turning away. He couldn't feel his throat any more at this point. Jaune couldn't even think straight. Why did everything hurt? His body, his heart, his mind? Why did everything hurt!?

"You are hereby expelled Mr. Arc," a vision of Ozpin said as he remembered the day that ended his dream. His goals, his ambitions, everything came crashing down with those words. Jaune gasped as he felt something from his back.

"_What the point?"_ Jaune thought to himself as the pain was about to overcome him. "_Why try to fight? Nothing I did mattered? Maybe...maybe this is my end? There is no hope. Nothing for me? Why should I go on?"_

Jaune felt himself falling deeper into his mind, as the darkness was swallowing him. There was no point in continuing, everything was hopeless after all. Especially for a nobody like him. "_Why did I even think I had a chance to be a Hunter?" _As he was about to be swallowed by the ever-encroaching shadows, a speck of gold shined before him.

"A Hunter?" a voice asked, sounding jovial. It sounded familiar and warm. "Why did I become a Hunter? Is that what you're asking son?"

"_Dad?"_ Jaune thought as he stared at the golden light.

"Yeah, dad! Why did you become one?" a younger voice asked. Th-That was his voice! "Is it because you want to kill Grimm?"

"No. I don't want that Jaune. While it's part of it, killing Grimm is not what I want to do as a Hunter." The voiced sounded so sure and so bright? Didn't his father...didnot his father hate him too? Wasn't that the reason he didn't pick up the phone calls?

"I want to help create a world, one that cherishes love and peace above all else." Jaune saw the smiling image of his father, a man in his thirties at that time with short blonde hair and a beard. "Your mom and her family may think it's a stupid dream but...I want to make a world where my kids would be accepted and be happy."

"Really?" a young Jaune asked before pouting. "Mom and my sisters don't seem to like me very much." His father...Louis...was his name, smiled at him.

"They'll come to love you soon enough son," he said kissing his forehead. "Be patient with them. They don't want you going down the same path I and my family do, they love you but they are very scared for you."

"_I don't remember this...why don't I remember this?" _Jaune thought to himself as the golden light began to grown. "_It feels so real. Dad...dad did love me."_

"Now listen here Jaune my boy," an old man said to Jaune. He was even younger then, as he looked up at...Charles Arc. "Never lose hope, my child. In this world, only hope and willpower that will push us through the darkest of times. To inspire these feelings in others, that is what it means to be a Hunter."

"_Gramps? I...I remember this one! I was crying and Grampa Charles told me stories about his adventures Hunters and the people he helped. It was what made me want to be a hero in the first place!_"

The golden shine grew brighter.

"Who's picture is that Grandpa?" the young Jaune asked. The grey-haired man was looking at an old photo.

"This? It's my father, Karl Arc. He fought in the Great War all those years ago. He didn't want to fight but he did anyway," Charles sighed.

"Then why did he?" Jaune asked innocently.

"As stupid as it sounded, he fought to end the fighting," Charles sighed in the memory. "He wanted to make a paradise for the world alongside his associates. Sadly, his dream couldn't come true. Humans and Faunus didn't understand each other, and they still don't want to try. The same goes for humans and other humans. But...he helped all those he can. My father was a hero."

"Wow! Great-Grandpa was a hero!? I want to be one too!" Charles laughed.

"Maybe when you're older I can teach you some things?"

"_That day never came because he died. But our lineage…full of heroes." _The golden glow that he saw was now bright. "_Damn it! I can't just lie down and not do anything! I may be turning into a Grimm but I'm not going to give up damn it! My great-grandfather, my grandfather, and my dad wouldn't give up right here. They'd fight to the end. So I'll do just that. If I'm going to die, I'm doing it on my terms!"_

From the balcony above, Salem frowned. While yes the experiment was a resounding success, it was not what she expected. She wanted more people like her. Not these...humanoid Grimm. Alas, she may have to wait until another batch to try different things. After all, she had new toys to play with.

"It seems like most of them have turned my Lady," Merlot told her. "Only a few are left, while those have are inspecting their new bodies."

"That is good. I shall speak to them when they are all done. I shall show them their place as my warriors. Anywho oppose me shall be terminated and turned back into the Essence," she replied.

"Of course, my Lady." He was about to continue when Salem paused and her breath hitched. The feeling she got was something she hadn't felt in a long time. It was a pulsating energy that made her hair stand on edge and her own corrupted heart to quicken.

She could feel _magic_ oozing off something. No, someone.

Her red eyes landed on the blonde who was shouting in pain, only for the process to stop. The large wings that had erupted from his back covered his form as a golden light shone from him. "What is happening?" Merlot asked, very confused.

Salem didn't respond. Instead, she kept watch. She was wondering what was happening with that being there, why he suddenly had magic _and_ Aura. She wasn't the only one, the red-haired girl who was next to him was entranced by the golden light. From the wings, a scaled claw reached out and grabbed the woman's hand her cracking form was picked up by the being that stood before them.

No words were said as he suddenly jumped up and flew away at a breakneck pace. "Damn." Merlot said as he watched the two beings fly away. "They'll be dead by morning without a stabilizer. Those would have been a dragon and a chimera. I'm sorry for such failures, my Lady."

"Chase after them, I want the boy alive," Salem said a grin on her face.

"My Lady?" Merlot asked.

"I think...we may have found the one I am looking for." After all, the draconic looking kept his blue eyes. An interesting development if she did say so herself.

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So that's the first chapter. I'm going to run this alongside **Theater **alternating chapter updates. This one is going to be a doozy of a ride and I am very much open to critique! As I said above, more backstory will be revealed as the story goes on. And I would very much appreciate some constructive feedback!


	2. Atlanta:Chimera

So here's the next chapter. Not going to lie, I'm going to diverge rather hard from the preview in the theater. I had an idea as to how to do this story when I wrote the first chapter and constantly working on it in my head.

**Steelrain66:** I'm not saying I will make it good. Pretty sure it's going to be mediocre. **BUT** as you can see in the title, it's not about angst. It's about hope. Sure there's going to be edge, why wouldn't there be given that's what Grimm technically live off of, but this story isn't about revenge or hatred. It's about keeping your humanity and perseverance. Again he's going to be based on Dante (with a big tweak later on) and Kamen Rider Wizard who inspires hope in others.

**GalenTheEternal: **I'm literally two chapters in there _can't_ be filler.

**Goldenvoid235: **Thanks for the backup but it's fine. People have their opinions.

**the-lost-memories6:** ...would you believe me when I say..._redhead harem?_ The idea is subject to change.

**Guest: **I was joking with a friend and told them since he's a mix of DMC and Kamen Rider Wizard, Jaune is going to jokingly call it Sinfinity Style. For Sin Devil Trigger and Infinity Style.

**LordHellPhoenix:** Thanks for the vote of confidence! I will try to redeem a few of them. Keyword "try" but we'll see how it goes.

**V2:** Oh yeah. Although I'm going to need to wait a few weeks so we can get more info on them.

**Hellsider: **Um...Good ideas! But not for me sorry.

**Guest:** Jaune will not have a cane. I already have a weapon in mind for him.

And to everyone else, thank you for following and favoriting!

Now this chapter will focus on Atlanta. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own RWBY.

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The figure known as Jaune didn't know how far he flew or how fast. He only knew that he was tired and that he was about to crashland into some foliage. "Oh, crap baskets," he said. Jaune noticed his voice was distorted, caught between a growl and an echo. Bracing for impact, the Grimm person smashed into the treeline, gouging the land as he crashed.

Of course, since there was someone in his arms, he had to protect them first. Using his new wings, the Grimm wrapped it around them. Jaune didn't know why but he instinctively knew that his wings were strong enough to act as armor. After finally crashing down, he left a small crater in the ground. As the dust cleared, Jaune was back in his original form groaning.

But he didn't have time for that.

No, he quickly looked down at the woman in his arms. She was closing her eyes as the cracks were still on her. The strangest thing though was that she wasn't making any new cracks on her body. No, instead it seemed stagnant, stuck where it had expanded from her chest. They gave out such a dark purple glow to them.

"Atlanta, Atlanta, stay with me," Jaune begged. He held the girl close.

"J-Jaune?" the red-haired girl stuttered. Her fingers dug into the fabric of his torn raggedy shirt. "I...I don't feel so good."

"I'll help you. Don't worry, I'll figure something out." They both knew that was a lie. Jaune didn't know what to do or how to fix the situation. The blonde was thinking as quickly as he could but nothing was coming up. He had no idea what to do in this situation.

"_What can I do to help her?"_

Something within him snapped, almost like a reflex. It reminded him of when his sisters had taught him how to clean the house, dance, cook. Everything about it seemed so easy when he tried them. He remembered something about his father's side always being good at something. They taunted him that he was only good at housework with that skill.

However, right now something inside his mind was connecting dots that weren't previously there. Dots that started with his Aura Amp Semblance, to how it heals people, to how it healed people, to…

"Huh? The energy I used to transform?" Jaune thought to himself. Wait...he had a different energy that wasn't Aura? How did he get that? No really, what?

"Wait, focus Jaune!" he shouted at himself. Focusing his mind he began to follow the dots once more, keeping his hold on Atlanta who was shivering in his arms. Aura Amp, healing, second pool off energy, also healing-

Jaune flinched as his mind and whatever that second energy was doing to make him think more. He couldn't make out some of the thoughts but the picture was coming. "Come on!" he shouted and used his Aura Amp to pump whatever that second thing was and felt some backlash.

A small explosion of Aura and that second pool of energy blasted around them, him being the epicenter of the small explosion. Despite the pain, he knew figured out what to do.

Atlanta, during all of this, was wriggling in his arms. She was in pain constantly but she wasn't cracking. Something made all the malice, despair, and self-hate ebb. When she saw Jaune about to turn into that monster she was cracking even faster. But then...she saw that golden light from within him and something about his determination made her focus on him.

And despite turning into this weird draconic humanoid, he looked at her with these soft eyes. Not the red like the Grimm, even those humanoid Grimm had them. No, Jaune stared at her with those same blue eyes that he had as a human. The same eyes that saw her and became friends with her.

That feeling made the cracking stop but it didn't heal her. And so the redhaired girl was in pain ever since they left.

And now, Jaune just exploded.

She was to going to scream again but stopped. Jaune placed his hand right over her chest. "Let this work," he whispered. "_Please."_

Her eyes widen as she saw the golden energy leave go from Jaune's hand and into her body. As that happened, Atlanta felt her mind receding. Deep into the depths of her memories, it went. To a place she went to when she was in pain.

Inside her mind, she went to her happy place. The deepest pits of her mind that she found safety in.

Atlanta was standing in the back of her home, in her family's backyard. It was large and spacious, with a training field, swimming pool, all of it for training. All for her sister and herself to get better, to get stronger. To show the world that the Nikos were a family to be looked out for.

Then Pyrrha showed off her skill and Semblance. She showed off her talent at being able to fight and win constantly. Their parents, Athena and Perseus, kept praising Pyrrha. Making her train more and more, got her more gifts, more of their time, more of everything.

And Atlanta hated her sister at the beginning of it all. The younger twin was training to be a Huntress too. She wanted to feel loved. To feel wanted. Why couldn't she get that from her parents?

Now, this was supposed to be her safe space. Why would Atlanta go here if it only brought bad memories?

"One reason," she said to herself. Atlanta Nikos walked past all the training equipment, past the training ring, past all of that, to her mother's nasturtium bushes. These were planted when Pyrrha started winning things at Sanctum. Looking past the bush, Atlanta sighed at the sight.

There was Pyrrha and herself, both younger, having a hidden picnic. A burnt orange blanket was on the floor with various sweets, guilty pleasures for Pyrrha and herself since they had to keep eating healthy.

"_She was the one who suggested this." _Atlanta thought to herself. Smiling at the scene, she could only feel at ease.

As she continued to stare she heard a voice behind her. "Such a touching scene isn't it?" the feminine voice said. "Shame that it's all a fraud."

"What did you say?" Atlanta asked frowning as she turned to face whoever spoke. The young woman froze upon seeing the large beast before her. It was a Grimm that was for sure given its black body. It didn't have one head but many of various animals, with the main body being a lion.

It loomed over Atlanta and its red eyes looked at her as her green looked at back in horror. "I said it was all a lie," the Grimm, this Chimera, spoke in a female voice. It sounded so much like her own. The large beast padded around her, each time it took a step a tiny crack would be created.

"What is?" Atlanta spoke as she walked around it. Her eyes going around t back yard she knew since childhood. It was the same. So that was why she moved to a certain spot.

"This little game you and Pyrrha had," Chimera taunted. The large creature swatted the bush of orange flowers to reveal the two to Atlanta. "That you and she were loving. It was all a lie."

"And how would you know that?" the woman glared. "Pyrrha and I care for each other. She and I are sisters."

"Sisters?" Chimera laughed. "Would sisters not? Not tell her about her new boy toy?" The beast prowled toward Atlanta. "Not only that, the sister you knew would not give up on her friend so easily. I mean did you not see what she did to that Jaune boy?"

Atlanta flinched at that. When she had met Jaune, he was both confused and devastated. She was confused as to why her sister's friend and crush was like that, Atlanta was even more confused upon seeing her with that large dumb oaf. There was no indication as to how it happened or even why. But Pyrrha couldn't even give her the time of day. She was so lovestruck, that her older sister even ignored her.

So on those last few days, she had decided to fill in for her sister. Not out of any sort of obligation, but because she felt sorry for the poor guy. And she found that Jaune Arc was a nice guy if a bit dorky. He also seemed to put her enjoyment before her own. Atlanta was able to see why her sister had a crush on him, so that made her befuddlement even more pronounced.

"If she could be a two-faced bitch to a person she knew for half a year, don't you think she's been like that to you for ages?" Chimera said. "She puts on a fake smile on for the crowd, for your parents, how are you so sure Pyrrha doesn't give one to you?"

"Shut up," Atlanta glared. "What would you know? You don't know me! You don't know anything about Pyrrha or myself!"

"Of course I do Atlanta," Chimera grinned. The large lion head tilted to the side, showing off its wings, scorpion tail, and what seemed like a fin on it's back. The hind legs were hooved and there was some sort of horns on its head. "I know you because I am you. All those dark thoughts, those feelings. You and I know that everything in this world is meaningless because you are not Pyrrha Nikos."

The more Chimera spoke, the more Atlanta was inclined to agree. To agree that nothing mattered. Everyone only cared for Pyrrha. She bumped into something, looking behind her, it was a rack of practice swords.

"So why don't you just give in. Give in to me. Let me handle everything. You can just rest from the world," Chimera grinned.

"_Maybe, I should," _Atlanta thought to herself. It seemed that even her happy place wasn't safe. This Grimm was shoving all her self-doubt and hate onto her. "_Maybe I should just give up."_

As soon as she thought that, Chimera opened her mouth to swallow Atlanta. By doing this, the Grimm would destroy Atlanta and assume control of her body. As Atlanta closed her eyes, a golden light enveloped her. Chimera was forced back as its mouth touched her and was forced back.

"Atlanta! Can you hear me?" she heard a voice. It was...Jaune?

"Jaune?" she repeated.

"Don't give up!" Jaune's voice shouted. "Don't lose hope. You have so much to live for." The golden energy wrapped around her and it felt...so warm and comforting.

"I do?" Atlanta asked.

"Don't listen to him!" Chimera roared.

"You have friends, family, people who love you. People who care! Don't give in to the darkness," Jaune said to her.

"But...it's hard," Atlanta thought to herself. "And...My sister…did not even notice or care for me."

"Pyrrha cared for you, she gushed about you often. How you were a wonderful sister! Whatever happened to her, we can find out later. But you need to be alive for that! Don't you want answers? Don't you want to see the truth?" Jaune's voice kept urging her.

And...she did. After all this doubt, all this hate that she felt these past two months, didn't she deserve to know? To confront her family? To finally understand what happened?

"I do…" Atlanta said, her eyes focusing at Chimera. "I want answers and I can't get those by dying here." The younger twin of Pyrrha glared at the Grimm who growled.

"If you won't die peacefully, then die struggling at my feet!" Chimera roared as she shot forward. Atlanta, while not as good as her sister, was still trained. Day after day, she fought to get better. To become able to stand beside her sister.

"Oh shut it you big cat!" Atlanta growled as her hands wrapped around something behind her. This was why she was walking here originally. Before the Grimm spoke to her, she had a plan. After that little interruption and Jaune's words, Atlanta would go through with it.

The golden energy shifted and became silver, as she drew two practice knives and activated her Semblance at the same time. R&A (Repulsion and Attraction), while it did not give the level of control Pyrrha's Polarity had, but it gave Atlanta a different edge. It gave her the ability to push and pull things towards her, or vice versa. However, she can only do two things at a time.

Focusing her Semblance at the ground beneath her feet, Atlanta used the Repulsion half to increase the speed of her dash. At the same time, she threw the knife in her left-hand past Chimera. When the redhead and the Grimm were about to clash, she saw the large paw coming down. Atlanta used her Repulsion on the handle of the knife in her right hand.

So when the knife and the clawed paw made contact, Atlanta's knife obliterated the paw. That had the Chimera roaring in pain before it tried to stab at her with the scorpion tail. She didn't dodge, so much as use her Attraction Semblance. Since she was still moving, she just lowered her body and slid.

The stringer had stabbed into the ground, making more purple cracks, as Atlanta slid right under it as she pulled herself towards the knife behind the Grimm. Swiveling around, Atlanta jumped up and pulled herself towards Chimera, who had turned around just in time to see a green eyes glaring at it. She spun in mid-air, the knives pulling themselves towards a specific part.

The stinger.

Atlanta had spun fast enough with her Attraction to act like a buzzsaw and severed the tail.

"RAGH! YOU BITCH!" Chimera shouted as it turned around. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Atlanta didn't speak and instead threw the knife in her right hand. Chimera saw it coming and dodged, only for Atlanta to pull herself to the knife and then push away from it at top speed.

"I'd like to see you try!" Atlanta growled in response as she stabbed the stomach of the beast. She then pulled herself away to her other knife, leaving that one stuck inside its. The redhead spun the knife in her right hand and held it in a reverse grip.

Chimera growled as it began to take flight. "Fine! If I can't kill you, I'll just destroy your soul!"

"My soul?" Atlanta asked confused.

"This happy place of yours is in the deepest pits of your soul. If I destroy it, I can still win!" Chimera slammed into the sky and saw dozens of cracks appearing in it.

"Atlanta! What's happening?" Jaune asked through whatever connection the two had.

"This stupid cat is destroying my soul!" Atlanta replied. She was thinking, how fast can she take care of the Grimm.

"What can I do to help?" Jaune asked. She could hear the tiredness from his voice.

"Just keep doing what you're doing, whatever you're pushing into me is helping." Atlanta focused. How can she do something to that flying thing? The more time she kept thinking, the more the younger Nikos sister wasted time.

Well, she already had planned for this.

Since this was within her soul and it was based on her backyard, there was still stuff behind her. So she did a backflip and used Repulsion on the rack of weapons towards the Grimm. All the training weapons were flying toward the monster. Of course, the monster saw this coming a mile away.

"You think that can stop me?" Chimera growled as it swatted the weapons out of the sky with its remaining front paw. They all went flying wildly around it.

"No," Atlanta replied as she used Repulsion as she jumped and then used Attraction to draw herself to a sword that was still falling. She then shot off to another sword that was still falling. Over and over again, Atlanta built up speed by bouncing from one falling weapon to another. Since she could only use it on two objects at a time, she had to keep her mind clear as to be able to switch instantly.

Chimera, who was watching the bouncing girl, its red eyes trying to keep up. It then heard a soft boom before Atlanta yelled. The Grimm felt something trying to pull it closer to the girl, but it wasn't its body. "What?" Chimera then remembered. "The KNIFE!?"

The knife in its stomach was being dragged towards Atlanta, who had just gone fast enough to look like a blur. Atlanta was pulling herself towards the knife she knew was in the stomach. At her speed, the young woman was going to do a lot of damage. "NO! Go away! STAY BACK!" The Grimm shouted.

"It's over!" Atlanta shouted as she stabbed the Grimm on the other side of its stomach and had pulled the knife lodged in its stomach at the same time. It had the effect of slicing chimera in half.

The Grimm gave out on last roar before it exploded into a black mist...that turned silver and rushed into Atlanta's body as she began to fall. "What the?" The silver glow began to fill her body and the cracks in her soul. Slowly fixing the cracks within her soul, Atlanta watched as the silver energy repairing it.

As she landed, she wobbled. Even if this was in her mind, soul, whatever, that had tired her out so much. Her body ached despite it being healed, she had never done that. She _shouldn't_ have been able to do that. "Must have been that energy Jaune was pushing into me…" she mumbled. "It made my Semblance a lot stronger. To the point, I was able to do something like that." Atlanta mumbled to herself. Usually, she can just pull herself to one thing and then have to actively think of what to pull or push next. But with all that stuff that happened, she was able to do it on the fly.

Atlanta saw the last of the cracks glow silver before she turned around. The image of her and Pyrrha untouched. Atlanta wanted to find out what made Pyrrha change and she knew that was the reason she didn't fall into despair. Her sister. It was like a fine line.

"That and Jaune sure knows how to give a hell of a pep-talk," she giggled. "Now how do I get out of here?"

As soon as she said that, she felt a tug and a bit woozy.

Her eyes closed only to look up to see foliage above her. "What the-? Where am I-" she shouted. When the red-haired girl sat up, Atlanta felt herself slip and fall. "AH!"

Falling on to the forest ground, she rubbed her butt. "Ow," the woman said as she stood up.

"Oh god, Atlanta," a voice said. "Sorry, I put you up there to keep you safe." Huh, that was Jaune's voice. Why did it sound different?

"It's fine I don't min-AHH!" Atlanta shouted as she saw the being before her.

It was a tall humanoid Grimm that was for sure. It still had the black flesh but over it were some pieces that stood out.

Along his chest were gold scales that made it looked like armor. The trend followed on along his crotch, which made an un upside down arc as the scales went towards his back. The on either leg were three bands of more golden scales that line his thighs up to his knees. More of those scales were on his kneecaps, shins, calves, and Achilles before ending in gold scales at the feet that were clawed.

On its torso were jet black scales that went over its arms and extended down, looking like a makeshift coat. Two large protrusions along his pecs looked like lapels on a coat only larger since these two pieces looked more like bone. Around the wrists, it looked like there were three curved spikes around each arm up to the forearm, making it look like the end of sleeves. His hands were also clawed.

There were also silver scales along his body. They were along with the large rounded spikes on the "sleeves," on his shoulders with a set of four on each side. Along his neck and on his head. The head part looked like a cross between the helm of a knight and a horned dragon's head.

However, the thing that stood out to her the most, was his eyes. They were the same gentle blue eyes that belonged to the man that had held her close during the torture. The one who befriended her because he needed a friend. The eyes of the man who saved her life this day.

"Jaune?" Atlanta guessed. She hoped she was right.

"Yeah," he replied. "Sorry about looking like this." Jaune shifted back into his human form, complete with torn Pumpkin Pete's Hoodie, jeans and sneakers. "Had to fight off some Grimm while you were unconscious. And since I didn't have weapons, I went into my Grimm Form."

"Uh-huh...and how did you learn to do that?" she asked. As she did though, Atlanta noticed something and balked.

"Well, I don't know. It seems like if I want to know something, I learn it but it's not permanent, so I need to keep practicing my skills." her looking at him funny. "What's wrong?"

"Your hair. It's silver." Atlanta said. Jaune blinked a couple of times before frowning.

"What?" Now that he said that he noticed a change too. "It seems like I'm not the only one who's hair changed. He pointed at his companion's shoulder and head. Atlanta followed his finger and saw…

"Why is my hair neon red?" she shouted. Atlanta originally had dark red hair much like her sister. This was...something else. "What the heck!?"

"It's not only that," Jaune said. Now that he was looking at her he was confused.

"What can be worse than that?" Atlanta asked. Jaune tapped the side of his head and Atlanta followed what he was doing. Her eyes widen as she felt...something coming out of head. Touching the other side, she felt it too. "WHY DO I HAVE HORNS!?"

"Must be your Grimm half affecting your body," Jaune snickered.

"I don't see you being all scaly mister lizard," Atlanta groaned as she tried to figure out what just happened. "Maybe it had something to do with Chimera?"

"Was that your inner Grimm?" Jaune asked. "Mine was Dragon."

"Do you have to fight him?" Atlanta was trying to calm down and then her hair suddenly shifted into dark pink. She felt the horns vanish as did something else. She saw the weirded out look on Jaune's face. "What happened now?"

"On top of your head," he answered. "And no I didn't fight Dragon. I sort of just...absorbed him after remembering my dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa."

"Well aren't you lucky," Atlanta pouted. She then reached up and felt...ears on top of her had. Not just any ears..._cat ears_.

"Why do you have cat ears?" Jaune chuckled.

"I swear I will shove you through a tree if you keep making jokes like that," Atlanta said she touched her ears again. This was going to be sure. Jaune put up his hands in defense.

"Sorry." Jaune sighed.

"So do you know where we are?" Atlanta asked as she looked at him. He then looked around and shook his head.

"Nope."

"What do you mean no?" Jaune gave Atlanta a sheepish grin.

"I sort of...flew in a random direction."

If anyone were to ask in the future, Jaune did not scream like a girl when Atlanta used a Grimm _and _Semblance enhanced punch through several trees.

* * *

**Nasturtium**: These flowers are meant for victory in battle. You can see why Atlanta and Pyrrha's mom planted them.

**Repulsion and Attraction:** I wanted to give Atlanta something akin to Pyrrha's Semblance that is Polarity. And I thought, why not mess with more fundamental forces?

**Jaune's Grimm Form:** So I was originally going to use a monster hunter armor for it. But found one better. Just google Devil May Cry 5, Vergil Devil Trigger Concept Art. Then replace all the blue with gold.

Well, that's the chapter. I would love some creative criticism!


	3. Aftermath: Ruby

Weird, I was originally thinking this chapter was going to end up shorter, but it didn't. Oh well! I hope you guys enjoy. Here's a little look at Ruby post June's disappearance.

**Hellsider:** Updated version! The original version was much more of an asshole, this one is going to be more heroic.

**PersonaNinja Lux**: Updated version!

**Argus456:** That would be fun! But that will wait for a while when Jaune gets his version of Geryon of DMC 5.

**Akkifslashernero**: It's not but thanks for showing me a new thing to read! I may have it appear in the theater.

**MM Browsing:** Thanks for the support! You'll find out some of them later.

**Hirshja:** Well the idea of what I did is coming from an RP I had with someone that concerned RWBY. It's going to be weird haha.

**Roy Ken Ligarda Salazar:** My Spanish isn't great but "Muchos Gracias!"

**Disclaimer: **I do now own RWBY.

* * *

Silver eyes open as their owner wakes up. The rays of the sun hitting her face. Ruby Rose, age fifteen, awakened with a smile on her face. Or should have if she wasn't so stressed.

Groaning, she rolled out of bed placing her bare feet into a pair of slippers that had the Pumpkin Pete's Bunny as the design. It clashes against her Beowulf pajama pants but she didn't care. They were comfortable and they were a gift from Jaune.

It was the simple comforts that the huntress-in-training could only take comfort in recently.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Ruby looked at the clock and saw it was 9 o'clock. Thankfully it was Saturday, so she wasn't going to get reprimanded by her partner Weiss. For the past three months, she hasn't done that, thankfully, since Ruby was doing better in class.

After doing so, Ruby looked around her dorm room. Yang's bed was messy. This means her sister probably hanging out with her friends from Beacon or training on her own. Blake's bed was neatly done. That meant her quiet teammate was out there either in the library or the bookstore. And of course, Weiss was missing as well, probably at breakfast or studying.

Grabbing her clothes from her drawer, Ruby went and took a quick shower. "It's Saturday but I have nothing to do," Ruby sighed underneath the water. "I finished all my homework already. Maybe I should ask the rest of the team if they want to hang out?"

That made her grin, hanging out with her friends. Brothers, ever since the start of the semester she didn't get to have much fun, but maybe Weiss will allow it this time. Drying herself off, Ruby put on her regular clothes, not forgetting to put on her cape, and went out to start her day.

As she exited the room, she paused and looked at the room for what remained of JNPR. Only Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha were left. Ozpin, cowed by the Council of Vale, was forced to keep the team on. Namely, after their debacle of Jaune Arc, they did not want to lose Pyrrha Nikos back to her home kingdom.

"That didn't matter though," Ruby frowned. "She's all too wrapped in up Cardin to even care what's happening around her." The huntress-in-training used to want to be Pyrrha's friend, but ever since three months ago or prior, the champion from Mistral was suddenly in love with the former bully.

It seemed out of nowhere but there didn't seem to be too out of place. After all, Goodwitch had asked her to tutor the bully on something but that was it. Ruby still felt that something was off. "Even if mom and dad were in love with each other, they weren't that bad," Ruby sighed. Maybe Cardin did something to her during that time?

Shaking her head, Ruby went back on track to the cafeteria. As she arrived, she got her plate of pancakes with strawberries on top, strawberry syrup, and a glass of milk. Scanning the room she frowned at what she saw.

Yang was hanging out with a team composed of all her friends from Signal. She was at a different table from where Ruby usually sat. Then there was Weiss who was at another table studying all on her own. Blake was in a corner with a book, also at a different table.

"How did it turn out like this?" Ruby asked herself. She went to walk over to sit next to Weiss but stopped. Did she want to go there? To sit and talk more about school when it was the weekend? Then there was sitting with Blake who, after Jaune's expulsion, was far quieter and kept to herself more. And Yang was not an option because that would just have her friends ignore her like they usually do.

As she was about to give up hope an arm slung around her shoulder. "Ruby!" Nora greeted her with a smile. "You got pancakes today?"

"I would have gotten waffles but they didn't have any," she replied. That and Ruby usually ate waffles with Jaune. Just thinking about eating them while he wasn't around made her stomach hurt. She then looked around. "Where's Ren?"

Now it was Nora who frowned this time. "He said he was going to meditate...again," the usually enthusiastic bomber replied.

"Are you still angry at him?" Ruby asked. Nora nodded.

"I am. He used his Semblance on me!" The two sat down at a table. "How can I not be angry at him and Pyrrha when they wouldn't let me vent!" The orange-haired girl grumbled as she ate her food. "You know the feeling right?"

Ruby took a moment before she nodded. "Yeah," the young leader sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, Nora was right. Ruby gripped her utensils in her anger. Two months after Jaune had left she felt so angry at herself.

_-Flashback-_

Ruby paced around in her room. She didn't know what to do. When she had said she wanted to impress Weiss, and the white-haired girl agreed, Ruby was ecstatic. Not only would Weiss help her study more, her partner was proud of her for taking the initiative.

Everything was going great!

That was until Jaune's transcripts came out to the limelight. Everyone was pushing him away after finding out his transcripts were fake. Then there was the second blow to his reputation. Pyrrha, the girl Jaune had confessed his feelings to, had all but said she didn't love him at all. Pronouncing her love for Cardin in front of the school.

Ruby was about to go to meet up with him when Weiss had stopped her.

"Ruby," Weiss had said holding her shoulder. "I know you're friends with him but you want to be a good Huntress right?"

"Y-Yeah Weiss," she stuttered. Ruby was looking at her partner in confusion.

"And you want to live up to your mother's legacy, right?" Weiss continued. Ruby nodded her head again.

"Weiss, what are you trying to say?" The younger girl was starting to get worried.

"Then you must know that being a Huntress you must know that you have to keep appearances. And that includes who you associate with," Weiss said. Ruby frowned as her eyes furrowed. "What I mean to say is, Arc would put a bad mark on our name if you keep being his friend. So it would be in your best interest to stay away from him."

"What why!?" Ruby asked. Why would she have to move away from her friend?

"It's for the best," Weiss replied. "Not only has he faked getting into the school, but people on his team are abandoning him. It's best if we just avoid him, especially you since you are our leader."

Weiss put her other hand on Ruby's shoulder. "If you want to show me that you are willing to do this, show me. Stop associating with Arc." After finishing her small speech, Weiss walked off leaving Ruby with her dilemma.

So here she was now. Pacing in her room, Ruby was at a crossway. Did she want to follow her partner's advice and stop speaking to Jaune? Or did she go with what she thought was right and kept speaking to him?

Ruby felt at ends, not knowing what to do. Her head hurt as did her heart. "Why does everything need to be so complicated!" Ruby bemoaned herself. What did she want? What did she want to do?

In the end, Ruby came to a decision. Taking a deep breath, she went out of the door and toward her friends' room and knocked on the door. "Jaune, it's me," Ruby said. The door opened to show a red-eyed Jaune, making Ruby come to almost reconsider.

"Hey, Ruby," he greeted with a sad smile. "Did you need something?"

Ruby flinched upon seeing that. This was about making hard decisions as a Huntress. She had to keep going. "Jaune. After what has been revealed, I think it's best if we stop talking." Jaune was confused as he stared at her.

"What?"

"I mean what I say Jaune," she glared at him, even if she knew this was not what she should be doing. "Stop talking to me."

With that, she didn't wait for him to respond before she went back into her dorm and closed the door. Immediately she went to the bathroom and began to throw up, hoping her decision was right.

-Flashback end-

Well. it was right for the first month or so. Her grades went up, she was able to speak to Weiss even more, and she was sure that she was making her mom proud!

Then at the end of the month, both RWBY and JNPR (Ozpin let the name stay to make it easier for naming conventions) had been in Jaune Arc never made it home. He was on one of three Bullheads that had gone missing. A coordinated hijacking by someone had the vehicles without a trace.

Ever since then, Ruby's stomach had always hurt at the thought of Jaune. Of course, everyone was shocked. Pyrrha doubly so, since that was the same ride that her sister was on. However, they had all moved on so easily.

Yang didn't care much for Jaune even before his transcript mess. He was just Ruby's odd friend. So that lets Yang go pursue other friends. Blake seemed to take the information oddly, folding into herself. Weiss was glad he was gone, the person who kept chasing after her.

Then there was JNPR. Pyrrha, after the initial shock of a week, went back to dating Cardin. Maybe as a coping mechanism? Ren had become even more stoic. And Nora well, she…

Nora did not take it well. The silver-eyed girl turned to her friend who was angrily eating the pancakes. Nora had taken it the hardest, especially upon finding out everyone's reactions. She chewed out all of her teammates, all of RWBY, and then Ozpin. The usually vibrant and happy girl was shaking in fury.

It took both Yang and Pyrrha to hold her down as Ren used his Semblance on her. But that was not before she managed to punch Ruby in the face and did similarly to Pyrrha. She hadn't spoken to anyone for the entirety of the second month he was gone.

And during that month, Ruby was alone. It was like Yang, Blake, and Weiss drifted off to their little worlds, leaving her alone. No one would want to play games with her, go to the shop to just browse weapons, no one to look at comics with. Yang used to but she found her friends. Blake considers comic books trash. And Weiss doesn't want to have fun, ever. Or if she did, it was nothing she ever wanted to do.

It had only been when Nora approached her, after seeing Ruby was alone too. Nora made it clear that she may have forgiven Ruby, she was still not happy with her. The two were just lonely. Over this third month, the two had come to consider each other best friends.

Ren had numbed himself to losing his friend with his Semblance. And Pyrrha was still distracted by Cardin to the point she sat in his lap for breakfast, as she was doing now. The sight of her feeding him made both Nora and Ruby gag.

"Why does she do that?" Nora asked. "Even after this long doesn't she understand that her PDA with him is disgusting?"

"I know right?" Ruby said. She took another bite of food. "It's still just so weird. This came from out of nowhere."

"I'm still saying he did some weird voodoo magic on her! I just can't prove it!" The orange-haired girl said stabbing her pancakes. "There's no way Pyrrha would have betrayed Jaune-Jaune like that!" Teal eyes meet silver and Ruby flinched.

"I know, I was being dumb," Ruby groaned. "I should have followed my heart instead of listening to my brain at that time." And yes, Ruby truly did regret her decision. She missed her friend, she did. She missed hanging out, their goofy talks, and just relaxing. But Ruby missed his goofy smile.

"At least you can admit it unlike everyone else," Nora huffed.

"And I'll make it up to him when we get to see him again," Ruby replied feeling hopeful. "Have you heard from him?"

"After that first week, he hasn't picked up his phone." Nora and Ruby frowned at that. "I think that was around the time he went missing with everyone. But I still believe he's still alive."

"Me too." Ruby and Nora were about to continue when someone caught their attention. Looking toward the end of the table, they saw deputy headmistress Glynda Goodwitch.

"Ms. Rose, Ms. Valkyerie, would you please gather your teams and come to the headmaster's office," Glynda said with a very visible frown. "It's rather important."

The two girls shared a look before nodding and gathering their teams. Ruby got Weiss, Blake, and then Yang before going to the elevator. "What do you think he wants to talk about?" Yang asked, shifting from side to side.

"Hopefully nothing bad," Blake said calmly. Ruby had noted she was still a foot away from everyone else. As if to not be close to them, which made them frown.

"Maybe he's reconsidering his decision of not including our teams for the Vytal Festival," Weiss said with hope.

"I doubt that," Ruby mumbled. The reason they weren't chosen for this year's Vytal Festival Tournament was that they, as Ozpin said, were not good enough. While they had potential, they didn't come together as a team as he had hoped. Hence why RWBY wasn't chosen. JNPR meanwhile was because of a missing person, not even the Council could budge the headmaster on that.

"Did you say something?" Weiss asked since she was lost in her thoughts.

"Nothing," Ruby replied with a small smile. The doors opened and they saw Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha already there. They were standing in front of the headmaster's desk while Ozpin sat there and with Glynda right behind him. Both adults looking rather grave.

"Ah, thank you all for making it," Ozpin said evenly. "I have some news for you all."

All the students stood there standing at attention. "As you know, three months ago, three Bullheads went missing," Glynda started speaking. Nora and Ruby instantly perked up, as did Ren. "Yesterday, we had gotten a call from Mantle. They had found the missing people within the wilds of their continent."

Nora was about to ask when Ozpin slid over a piece of paper. "Please read this," he said. Nora grabbed the paper first since she was the most excited. Everyone looked at her as the smile on her face vanished. Her eyes going down further and further before she gasped.

"T-This can't be true," Nora said with tears in her eyes. She threw the paper behind her as she slammed her hands onto the wooden desk. "That's not true!"

"I'm so sorry…" Glynda said. Even she had some tears in her eyes.

Ruby grabbed the paper and her silver eyes looked at what was written.

"Report: List of people who died or are still missing from the incident from three months ago," she read aloud. Her eyes gazed at the various names and faces listed. She went down and saw a familiar face. It was one that looked like Pyrrha.

"Nikos, Atlanta. Age 18. Missing."

Further down she saw another one. And that one made her heart stop and her stomach hurt even more. Letting go of the paper, she turned her head and began to vomit. On the piece of paper, she saw the goofy smile she missed.

"Arc, Jaune. Age 18. Dead"

She felt so delirious from reading that she completely missed Pyrrha fainting from reading the paper. And soon she has joined her. The shock of seeing that paper had her also fainting, the last image she saw was her team going to her, with Nora trying to attack Ozpin. The only thought in her mind was…

"It's all my fault. I'm sorry Jaune."

Thousands of miles away, a pair of blue eyes looked around. Brushing his silver hair damp with sweat, Jaune Arc looked confused.

He had a new change of clothes. He had on a black compression shirt that showed off his new muscles that had appeared post-transformation and showed off his arms. On his legs were black jeans that were loose, thankfully, since he wasn't used to any tight pants. Lastly, black leather shoes.

This was only half his usual outfit, the rest of it back at the home he and Atlanta lived at. After all, he wasn't training nor fighting at the moment, so why wear armor or need to look fancy?

"Something wrong Jaune?" Atalanta asked.

Jaune looked to his right where she was sitting on a stump She was dressed far better than he was, that was for sure.

First was a sleeveless white shirt that was covered by the rest. The vest she had on was black with some blue accents, diamonds on top with a design just under her bust that looked like an eye. Next was a white skirt with a black design going along the spiky hemline. And just on top of that, connected to the vest with some subtle sewing, was a sort of overskirt that had the same coloring as the vest, with blue arrows pointed up at her torso.

On Atalanta's arms were sleeves, disconnected from the rest of the outfit and sharing in the black and blue. On her hands were silver gloves, with segmented finger sections and purple lining to keep her limbs warm. Black leggings lead down to a pair of short boots, continuing the blue and black from on top. Their heels were thick, allowing for good movement in combat and every day.

The leather belt she had around her neck confused him, along with the broken chain that hung at Atalanta's back. Jaune picked it up curiously, bringing his eyes up to ask when the former redhead turned her face away. Her cheeks burned while his face showed confusion.

Today her hair was neon pink and the animal part she had from her Grimm right now was some pink and green feathers in her hair on the left side of her head, right behind her ear. Right behind her was a black longbow with neon pink details on it.

"Oh, uh, nothing. I thought someone said my name," he replied. He grabbed his pile of wood and turned to her his partner. The two of them had been traveling for a month. Sadly, they didn't have money, any identification, nor their Scrolls. So they were down on their luck. They had run into a small city where a guy was willing to take them on until they were back on their feet.

"Shall we go back?" he asked. "I'm sure the grump is wondering where we are."

Atlanta just laughed. "You're just annoyed Mr. Muram decided to teach you how to use a sword and is kicking your ass...even in Grimm form." The girl grinned and her hair turned back into dark pink. The lion ears appeared on her head and she gave him a Chesire grin.

"S-Shut up!" Jaune blushed as he carried the firewood. "It's not my fault he's had years of experience and can still beat me!"

"Please, you even used your _Imperial Privilege _to get better at swordplay and he still kicked your ass." His part Grimm friend laughed and he could only groan.

"Still, we lucked out on meeting someone who knows your family out here in the boondocks of Mantle." Jaune frowned. "I'm still suspicious of him but Muram is nice, to say the least. Hasn't tried to kill us, even after finding out we're part-Grimm."

"He's also bought us clothes, provided us shelter, and food." The two shared a nod, they did owe this odd old man for that.

"That's why we're working for him." Jaune then turned to Atlanta as they waved at the various people in this small city. After a month, the two were known as the new "couple." Jaune and Atlanta did everything together and were rarely ever away from one another. Hence the couple remark. Jaune was too embarrassed to try and deny it, while Atlanta milked the situation to get discounts.

"Did you remember any one's phone number yet by the way? To help us say we're alive?" he asked. Atlanta shook her head.

"Sorry. I blame our age for never memorizing anything anymore and relying on our Scrolls." Jaune couldn't disagree. He too hadn't memorized his home number nor any of his family members. Then he _tried_ to call Beacon. It was redirected over and over again to the point that it didn't work out at all.

"_I swear Ms. Goodwitch is having trouble there if Ozpin doesn't update that phone system_," he thought to himself.

"Well, we're stuck at this place until we have enough money for a Scroll each and then tickets to get to the right place," Jaune said. They got to the store they were currently living in and he opened the door. The sign above it was had said the place's name was "Ayime Forge."

"Old Man! We're back with the firewood for the forge as well as the coal," Jaune shouted.

"I heard you, you punk!" an elderly voice shouted. Atlanta chuckled as she headed up to the second floor to where the living quarters were to put away the groceries. Meanwhile, Jaune entered the forge to see an old man sitting there.

He had short grey hair and golden eyes. In his left hand, he had a hammer and in the right was a sword in the process of being forged. Slamming the hammer down, he was straightening out the blade. Over his shirt was an apron to protect him from the sparks, and he had on black pants and boots.

This old man was Muram Ayime, supposedly he knew Jaune's great grandfather Carl. He had taken in Jaune since the old man said he owed the Arcs his life.

"Just put it down there boy," Muram said as he took the sword and placed it in some water, steam coming off of it before he placed the now cool blade on a table, intent on finishing it later. "You ready for some sparring? I mean your form is rather bad. If you want to survive in the world, you'll need to make it better."

Jaune placed his package where all the other coal and firewood was and nodded. "Yes, let us get to it."

Three months since the incident, two months of torture and a month after that, and Jaune was finally feeling that he was getting somewhere in life again. He doesn't know where it was heading just yet but at least he had Atlanta by his side and this old man helping him.

For now, Jaune grabbed a practice sword, a katana since that was what Muram was teaching him in, and walked outside to get some practice.

* * *

So that was the chapter. I'll get back into the nitty-gritty next chapter. This was just to see the reaction of some people who are not Jaune or Atlanta. Which, I will be doing from time to time. So please leave a review to know how you feel!

Also, most people who appear while maybe OC a lot of people were going to be based on people from Fate. As you can see Atlanta is Atalanta Alter in looks but personality is completely original. Hence why Muram Ayime is also based on someone there. Given the name I'm sure you guys can guess


	4. Broken Blade

This could have been longer, but I got busy. Family stuff and all that. It might be like that until after the holidays.

**Greer123:** To answer that, no she isn't.

**Jack54311: **Very true!

**Dragongod54: **That might happen but you won't know yet.

**Roger94841: **In the one-shot, he's had his powers for a year already. This is so early in his career.

**Argus456:** No, you're right. You have the right timeline. This all happens before Sun's arrival. And yes it is Muramasa.

**MM Browsing: **That will be revealed in a chapter, but not this chapter! The whole missing vs dead idea.

**Ragnas Bredvolts:** It her Alter outfit

**Write n wrong: **Thanks for the suggestion! But I had something else in mind for them.

For everyone else. Thank you!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own RWBY.

* * *

The sounds of metal clanging against each other filled the backyard of the blacksmith's shop. Jaune was wielding his practice blade in his right hand as he tried, and failed, to disarm his boss and teacher. Blue eyes narrow as he tried to do a diagonal slash at the old man.

Even with _Imperial Privilege,_ his stance was off. So it made the grey-haired old man easily, parry the hit and disarm the young man. The katana flew out of his hands and landed a few feet away from Jaune, at an amused Atlanta's feet. Muram aimed the pointy end at Jaune's throat.

"Winner Muram!" the part Grimm girl announced, causing the old man to grin and the young man to groan. Taking the sword away from Jaune's throat, the blacksmith offered his hand to the downed boy. Said the opponent took it with his own.

"Your form is still shit, but you're getting there," he said pulling the young man up.

"What am I doing wrong?" Jaune asked as he dusted off his butt. Atlanta walked over and handed him the blade. He smiled at her and the girl smiled back. "Even with my ability, I'm unable to land a solid hit on you."

"Boy. You're still young, very much green. Don't worry yet about doing that just yet," Muram told Jaune. He looked at the sky and hummed a little. "Why don't you two go buy dinner tonight. I'll be a little busy in the forge for a while."

Atlanta turned to face their boss. "Oh? Did someone come in with a late order?" she asked. Her hair shifted back into that dark pink as the lion ears popped up again. Jaune and Muram both noticed that, even with her Grimm body under control, certain emotions tend to bring out certain features. Curiosity always brought out the lion ears.

"No, this is the one I've been working on for years. I just never seem to find time to finish it," he replied. Jaune and Atlanta were both surprised to hear that.

Ever since they arrived at this place, people had been praising Muram for his skills in both the reparation and creation of weaponry. Whether they be classic like the katana Jaune was practicing with or mechashfit like the daggers that were given to Atlanta. She called them Echidna.

"You mean to tell me there's something you haven't fixed yet," the silver-haired boy asked in surprise. This was blowing his mind!

"Two actually," his mentor replied. "One I don't know how to fix, the other...I refuse to." The old man made a shooing motion. "Now get on you two. Go buy whatever you'd like. Just get me a share."

The two teens nod. Jaune takes a towel from the bench his friend was sitting on and wipes of his sweat, before grabbing a black jacket with light blue floral designs that started at the shoulders and went down his sleeves. Putting it on, he nodded. "Got it, old man," Jaune grinned. "Let's go, Atlanta."

"See you in a bit, boss," Atlanta waved at the old man. The two exited the backyard through the side gate and onto the street. As they walked through the town, known as Edgewater, the two teens were in a comfortable silence. "So what do you want for dinner Jaune?"

"There was that new taco place that opened up," he replied with a grin. "We can get a lot of those for cheap."

"That would be good. And we can share a lot with Muram!" The two grinned at one another as they kept walking. As they passed by several people, Jaune could hear all the whispers. Even after a month and a half of being here, the people of Edgewater loved to gossip about them.

"There they are," one woman whispered as they looked at Atlanta and himself.

"They always have matching clothes!" another replied. Jaune looked down at his get up and then at Atlanta's own. Their colors did match.

"Jaune and Atlanta are always together. I've rarely seen them do anything apart." More gossip. Again, that wasn't untrue. The two were always doing things with one another, they didn't speak much to the people outside of their boss after all.

And on and on it went, as the two ordered their food of about forty tacos. Jaune has gotten some diet lemon-lime soda for himself and Atlanta got grape. Their boss loved to just drink tea. "Man, they sure like to whisper huh?" Atlanta said with a grin.

"That they do," Jaune chuckled. It wasn't like the people were not trying to hide their whispers. Oh no, it was because the two had slightly enhanced senses that they could hear. "Imagine what they would say if they saw our sleeping arrangements."

"The scandal!" The two shared a laugh before settling in some silence. After a moment, Atlanta spoke again. "How much longer do you think we can stay here?"

"Once we have enough money, our plan is still to go to Mistral and speak to your parents," Jaune replied. He shifted the bag in his hand and looked ahead. "I give us two or three more months before we have enough."

"Agreed. What will we do after that?" Atlanta said nervously. "If my parents don't accept me?"

"Atlanta, your parents loved you. Even if they weren't always there at least they cared for you to teach you how to fight and go to a combat school." This made Jaune frown. He had told Atlanta his family situation and it always left hurt his heart to speak about it.

"I know but I'm just being cautious you know?" Atlanta shuffled nervously her lion ears vanishing and in its place were the falcon feathers once more. Those appeared when she was especially nervous. While the girl usually loved to wear those because, with that character trait, Atlanta found out she could fly without the need to transform, it also showed that she wanted to fly away from situations.

Jaune takes her hand and squeezes it. He pulsed some of his Aura and his magic into her. Atlanta calmed down and did the same, her hair going back to the lion one. She smiled and did the same to him.

It was a thing they did to keep each other calm and stable. Hearing some cooing, the two looked up and saw some mothers and couples looking at them and giggling. Jaune just blushed but didn't take his hand away from hers. They finished their walk holding one another's' hand.

"Hey, old man, we're back!" Jaune shouted.

"We bought chicken, fish, and beef tacos!" Atlanta announced as she walked into the kitchen to set up the food. The girl nudged Jaune and he rolled his eyes but understood.

Walking to the forge, he was going to call out to Muram but stopped. He heard the clang of a hammer on metal, which was the usual, what wasn't was the bright flash of red light. Then another clang and the flash was orange. Again and again, the light would change color with each stroke of the hammer.

Jaune has slowly made his way until he was right beside the anvil on which the man old man was trying to fix the blade. The blade itself was a silver and blue longsword. It had a diamond-shaped blue guard and it looked pristine, outside of the fact that half the sword was missing.

When the hammer hit again, the blue flashed and turned purple. The old man stopped and sighed. "Seems like I can't finish this one huh?" The old man asked Jaune. Lifting his mask he turned to him.

"Right. What sword is that?" Jaune asked surprised. As he stared at the sword, he felt a little compelled to take it.

"The name is Joyeuse. It means-"

"Joy," Jaune said understanding immediately. Despite it still being red from the heat, Jaune reached out to try and touch it. Something about it called to him.

"Oi, brat," Muram said to him. It was like Jaune was in a trance, not paying attention to him. The young man kept reaching out until his hand touched where the handle of the blade would be. As soon as he touched it, a wave of power pulsed from him and the blade. Jaune's eyes widen as he felt _something_ pulsed inside him.

His finger's gripped that part, his eyes blanked out. Then he did.

When he came to, Atlanta was shaking his body frantically. The young man was blinking his eyes and touched his forehead. "Ow," he groaned. Not only did his head hurt but his palm hurt as well. Blinking his blue eyes, he looked at his palm. Burned onto his palm was a family symbol.

The Arc Symbol.

"What the heck?" Jaune asked. He looked at his hand and it pulsed with magic.

"What the heck is right," Murama stated looking at Jaune. Atlanta was hugging him tightly as Jaune was confused by what was happening. The old man approached and poked his arm. The old man looked rather suspicious, confused as to what was happening. "You alright kid?"

"Are you?" Atlanta asked, her concern appearing in her voice.

"Except for the headache, I'm peachy," Jaune replied. "What happened?"

"You suddenly reached out while I was explaining the damned sword and you just grabbed it," Muram frowned.

"I felt a pulse of magic and Aura and came rushing in," Atlanta told him. "I saw you holding a glowing sword and then it vanished and you collapsed." Jaune tried to recall but outside of touching the sword, everything else was blank.

"What was that sword?" the silver-haired person asked. Jaune was looking at Muram who was humming lowly. As Jaune thought of Joyeuse, it appeared in his hand. The silver and blue long sword pulsed in his hand, the blue sky blue handle firm in his grip, and upon looking at it, Jaune could see that it was still broken. Half of the blade was still missing.

"That, my boy, is one of the blades I can't fix," the blacksmith said with a frown on his face. "As you know it's called Joyeuse. It was your great-grandfather Karl's weapon." That caught Jaune's attention immediately.

"What? How do you have this?" he asked confused. He looked at the blade and as he gripped it, to Jaune, it felt right. Something about it had felt right.

"I told you I owe my life to your great-grandfather. When I was a kid he came through this town with his knights and had managed to save it from Grimm. It was during that time I was just but a lad, your grandfather was left at home also a kid." The blacksmith sighed as he looked at Jaune and the broken blade. "I was already working the forge at the time, an apprentice to my own master. However, things happened at the time that caused the blade in your hand to break."

"What kind of thing?" Atlanta asked, helping Jaune sit up.

"The kind of thing that leads to the second blade I can't fix," the old man huffed. Getting up, he walks over to the forge. Reaching behind it, he pulls out a long slender box. It had a sheen on it as it glowed against the light of the room. Yet, it also looked so old. He placed the box in front of the two and opened the lid.

The instant it opened, both Atlanta and Jaune were on high alert. The two of them stood up and away from the blade in the box. Peering inside, the two part-Grimm people frowned as they saw a broken katana. "What is that?" Jaune nearly spat. It felt so disgusting.

"The power coming from it smells foul," Atlanta frowned. With the two of them looking at the weapon, they frowned as one. "Is that...magic?"

"Would you believe me if I said my master had created a cursed blade?" Muram sighed. "I'm not the first of my name, I took it after taking over the shop, when your great-grandfather killed my master."

"What?" Jaune asked surprised. "Why would he do that?"

"Muram the first had made that blade, he went crazed. The ability that had come with the curse made him insane. Wanted to kill everyone in this village. Especially to cut them all down with that blade." The old man sighed.

"This is the one you don't want to fix isn't it?" Atlanta asked kindly. "And the other you don't know how to?"

"Yes. I...I don't know how to fix that blade. You can feel it too can't you?" The two looked at the blade in Jaune's hand. They could. It was faint but that too had a magical weapon. Far too faint honestly. "It feels like it was alive."

"It's magical, just like the cursed one there," Jaune pointed out.

"It is. Joyeuse is supposed to be an ever-changing blade, it's color constantly changing. But it's been dulled after it's breaking." The trio was quiet for a moment before Jaune spoke.

"We can wait for now," Jaune replied. "I'm hurt but I am hungry. We can discuss this tomorrow." Banishing the weapon in his hand- "Brothers that feels weird"- Jaune rubbed his belly. "I'm sure we'll make bad decisions if we continue this line of thought right now we would make some bad decisions."

"Really? You want to do that right now?" Atlanta asked. "Like right now? After all that we spoke of?"

"Would you believe me if I said yes? I am starving after some magical blade got absorbed into my bod." Jaune pouted. "I'm not going to make crazy decisions while hungry." Atlanta and Muram gave him a look of disbelief.

"I just poured my heart out to you about my master being possessed by an evil blade," Muram deadpanned. The young man groaned and rubbed his forehead.

"Fine," Jaune sighed. "Not going to lie, the moment I saw the blades, yes both, Imperial Privilege acted up." The silver-haired teen frowned. "I know how to fix both blades." Atlanta and Muram looked at him in surprise.

Atlanta slapped her forehead. "Okay, I forgot that my sister said you were a dumb sometimes," she replied.

"I can see that," Muram sighed. "Okay, brat what did your ability say how to fix it?"

"We deconstruct one and use the magical metal to fix the other," Jaune answered. "The problem is I don't know how to do that just yet?"

"How does your Imperial Privilege work anyway?" Atlanta asked. "I've always been curious."

"From what I've gathered, if I can understand a basic understanding of something, I can mimic the ability to the best of my ability," Jaune explained as they headed to the kitchen. Jaune sighed as the tacos were now slightly cold. Holding his hands over the tacos, he cast magic.

"Heat." A small orb of fire floated above the tacos and began to warm them up faster.

"Like magic," Muram commented as they sat down at the table. "I swear you're learning how to do super simple things. Is there anything complicated you can do yet?"

"Yeah...no…" Jaune slumped. "I have no idea how to do stuff outside of using elements for household chores." Muram rolled his eyes. "And it's not like I'm not the only one. Atlanta can do things too!" The two men turned to look at the other person from the room.

Atlanta was eating some fish tacos already. She turned towards them and her cat ears drooped and her face flushed. "What?"

"Nothing," Jaune replied. He began to eat as well. "But yeah that's how my Imperial Privilege works."

"But are you sure this is going to work?" the blacksmith asked as he took a bite out of his taco.

"Not sure. I guess we'll have to see if it works tomorrow," Jaune stated. His mentor grunted and nodded.

Above them, storm clouds were brewing. Within the clouds, a being with wings was peering down at the village. "Dragon...Chimera...I've found you," a distorted voice came from its mouth.

Thousands of miles away, another storm was brewing.

Ruby Rose was once again feeling down in the dumps. It had been a few days since she had gotten the news that her friend was dead. Ever since then her stomach had ached, making the petite girl very unwell. Today, she was away from her team, not wanting to deal with them. They kept asking if she was alright.

If they cared they would know that she wasn't! They would just talk to her and try to understand dang it! When she didn't need space they gave it to her, now they weren't!

"Dang it, guys!" she complained to herself. "I thought I was the socially awkward one!" She kicked a rock and watched it fly until it hit someone's foot. The person turned their helmet was focused on her. This made Ruby gasp. "I'm so sorry!

The person took off their helmet and revealed golden locks done in a braided bun but also had lots of hair sticking out in a ponytail. Blue eyes land on her and she felt safer for some reason. "They look familiar," she thought to herself. She then noticed that the woman was wearing a red leather jacket, blue jeans, and black boots. Ruby's eyes notice the holster tied around the woman's thigh but she couldn't see what the weapon was.

"It's fine," the woman replied kindly. "You saved me some time. Would you care to help me please?"

"Of course!" Ruby responded. "What do you need? Are you a parent of a student here?"

"Sister." The woman's smile never left her face. "I was hoping to speak to either Ozpin or the deputy headmistress," Ruby noted the tone of irreverence this woman had when she said Ozpin's name.

"Oh! I know the way to his office. I could lead you if you'd like," Ruby offered. The woman grinned and her smile was infectious.

"Thank you. Oh, how rude of me, what's your name? I would like to know it since you are helping me."

"Ruby Rose!" she introduced herself, offering her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Ruby Rose, I'm Carmine Arc. I'm here to learn what happened to my brother."

* * *

Jaune finds out why Muram owed his great-grandfather and inherits his broken sword. His family line's ability, Imperial Privilege, allowing him to help Muram fix it! But trouble looms over the horizon for both Jaune and those who live at Beacon.

Next Chapter: Confrontations!


	5. Forged

Well, here's the new chapter. It took a while I know but if you read my reaction fic you'll see why it took so long.

**Greer123:** You'll see!

**JohnJuanRamboJr35:** That won't happen for a while!

**MM Browsing:** It's not one to one replica of the Fate one so it's not as overpowered. And Carmine is physically based on Artoria Ruler.

**Ragnas Bredvolts:** Are you saying...Jackie Chan is an Uchiha!?

**Midnight49:** All the references!

**NyaNyaKittyFace:** I have an idea of where I am going so don't worry about stuff like that.

**Argus456: **Good question. I will tell you once we visit Beacon during that time.

Everyone else thank you for the support!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own RWBY or any other reference I make.

* * *

Carmine Arc tapped her foot in an irritated manner as she waited for the elevator to get to the top of the building. Next to her, was a very silent and very nervous Ruby Rose. The silver-eyed girl looked at the tall blonde and gulped. Something about her screamed danger and everything about her all but said get out of my way. Her blue eyes focused solely on the door before them.

"Uh…" Ruby tried to speak. "What are you going to do to Professor Ozpin when you see him?"

"Nothing dangerous, I assure you," Carmine replied still tapping her foot. "Just ask a few questions. See why Jaune was listed as dead and well...beat the shit out of him if I don't like the answer."

"_Oh god, she's worse than Yang!"_ Ruby thought to herself. The moment the elevator door made the ding sound and began to open, the reaper could only watch as a flurry of violence was set into motion.

As the doors open, the holster on Carmine's leg popped open and a couple of cards shot out into her hand. Next, the cards were thrown when the door was even slightly bigger. They moved about and proceeded to pin Goodwitch to the wall via her clothing as ten more floated out of the holster. Five of those pinned Ozpin to a different wall, while the other five floated in front of him glowing.

"AH!" Ruby shouted since she wasn't prepared for a freaking attack. So she fumbled with Crescent Rose at that moment, only to stop when Carmine glared at her. Seeing the angry blue eyes, Ruby made a choice. She stopped reaching for Crescent Rose and held her hands up as the elevator left, trapping her with this crazy Arc.

"Glynda, it's so good to see you again," Carmine said to the other blonde in the room. "Always good to see a former classmate."

"Carmine!?" Glynda said in surprise. The eldest Arc sister walked passed her and stood in front of a heavily sweating Ozpin. The cards were floating above him, were glowing an ominous golden light.

"Ozpin." Ruby and Glynda flinched at how cold the name came out of Carmine's mouth. The way she said his name sounded like it was an insult or something.

"Ms. Arc," Ozpin replied. "How may I be of service?"

"You can answer some of my questions. For one, why was my brother listed as dead?" That caught Ruby by surprise. The tone in which Carmine said it made it seem like Jaune wasn't.

"He was lost to us. A lot of people went missing and he was one of the few not to return," Ozpin replied. "And given his lack of training, I had assumed he had perished."

"Then you would have known with a simple call that he isn't," Carmine growled.

"Jaune's alive!? Is he with you? Is he okay?" Ruby asked catching Carmine's attention. She had completely forgotten the little student was there! And the way she was eagerly asking for her brother's status, Carmine assumed Ruby was a friend.

"Alive yes, but missing," Carmine frowned. "Our sister Verde can sense if people are alive or not but can't pinpoint where they are just yet. She is still in training. But when the papers said he died, I had to wonder why that was said. Especially when it was released by the headmaster of Beacon."

Ruby soon tunes out the tense conversation the three adults were having in the room. Quickly she grabbed her phone and hid in the corner while she could slightly hear threats being made on behalf of the Arc Family.

She quickly dialed a number. Once Nora's face showed up, Ruby immediately spoke. "JAUNE IS ALIVE!" she shouted at Nora. This made the resident hammer maiden stop and her face grew serious.

"How do you know?" Nora asked, hope filled her voice. After she had heard Jaune died, Nora went on a warpath destroying everything in her way. It took the combined efforts of Ren, Goodwitch, and Yang to hold her down.

"His sister is here and her other sister can see if Jaune's alive. But she can't figure out where he is," Ruby informed her. The two short girls suddenly felt a little more at ease after hearing that. "We should go look for him during the break."

"We should," Nora agreed. "I want to bring Ren but he's being distant."

"But wouldn't news like this help cheer him up?" Ruby asked. Nora shook her head and looked down.

"Ever since we were told Jaune died, Ren had been constantly using his Semblance. I think...I think he's lost hope," Nora told her. "Look it's better if we speak in person. Meet at our usual table?"

"Got it." Hanging up the phone, Ruby hit the down button for the elevator, intent on leaving the adults to do their own thing. Only to stop when she was grabbed by the hood. Turning around, she saw Carmine holding her. "Uh...yes?"

"I heard that you had hurt my brother. Shall we talk?" The floating cards were now facing her, and Ruby could see that the cards were holding lightning dust within its face.

"Uh, who told you that?" Ruby gulps. Carmine pointed at the computer on the desk, showing security footage of her breaking her friendship with Jaune. It seems that Ozpin, to save his own skin, threw her under the bus.

He gave her an apologetic look, with her look of shock stuck on her face as she was dragged into the elevator by a very angry elder sister.

As the doors close, Ruby is slammed into the metallic wall behind her. A perfectly manicured hand at her throat and several metallic playing cards were floating around her. They began to spin and the speed they were going at, Ruby was sure that they may just pierce her Aura. "You seem like a nice girl Ruby Rose, so I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and not just tear into you. I did the same with Ozpin because Glynda is a friend. So, talk. Why did you hurt my brother?"

One wrong move and the little reaper was sure she was going to die. If she said the wrong thing she would just be a smear in this elevator and Carmine wouldn't care at all. If she was to do anything to insult her or betray that good nature that the Arcs seemed to have, Ruby would just vanish from the world.

So she did the only thing she could think of.

Ruby began to tear up and sob. Her eyes glistening with liquid. "I'm so sorry. Betraying Jaune's friendship was the worst thing I ever did. I was under a lot of pressure and I was so lost. When I begged my partner for help she said that it was the right choice! That it would help me be a good hunter."

Crying silver met stoic blue as she kept speaking. "But it wasn't! It wasn't what I thought it would be. I'm...I'm so alone now. Jaune used to be a person I could speak with freely about anything and I threw that away because I was feeling insecure. And I regret every second of it. I haven't been able to eat right, I haven't been able to relax, and I-"

Ruby was hushed as she felt herself be hugged. Silver eyes widen as she kept crying, but she could feel Carmine stroking her back and her hair. "Shh. Shh, it's okay. It's okay," Carmine whispered into Ruby's ear.

"But it's not!" Ruby replied. "I hurt Jaune! And I didn't even say sorry! I'm a bad person!"

"You made a bad choice, that doesn't make you a bad person. You're showing that you're sorry for what you did, and that shows you're good at heart. So don't be too sad." What was it with the Arc siblings being so easy to talk to? The emotions were finally bubbling over and it just felt so good to say them out in the open. Maybe Ruby should see if the others are like this as well.

The door opened but Carmine kicked the door close button to close it again. "We can stay like this until you're under control but after that, we'll have to talk for real. I need to gather info and relay it to the others and see what we can do about this missing brother situation."

Ruby nodded. "Okay." Wow, she wished Yang was more like Carmine.

"But after that, I'm going to have to kick your ass a little. You did hurt my brother."

Nevermind! Yang wouldn't kick her butt like that!

"Now, introduce me to this Nora girl. And this Pyrrha bitch."

_Thousands of miles away and hours later._

Jaune stood in front of the two broken blades before him. Joyeuse and the Nameless cursed blade that had defined Muram's life. And he said he'd fix it! Ha! Imperial Privilege only worked if he knew how to do something, even if a little. When he accidentally used magic during that first week in the woods, Jaune instantly knew how to do simple spells like summoning a fire, a ball of light, etc.

But something as complicated as magical smithing?

That was over his head!

Even if he knew a bit about how to smith and make magic, not all the info was in his mind to forge said blades. The white-haired boy knew that he would have to use one blade to fix the other but the process of destroying one for resources eluded him still.

He was just talking because he knew about it damn it! Was wanting to just help the old man such a punishable thing? Jaune was comically crying. Now, what the heck was he going to do!?

"You have no idea what you are doing, do you?" Atlanta asked as she looked at her friend.

"Not completely and that's what's messing me up!" Jaune groaned. "The materials are before me as are the tools but the process of breaking down the thing isn't coming to me."

His hand touched the handle of Joyeuse and felt its dormant magical power. And then he grabbed the handle of the broken blade. It too was radiating a power that lay sleeping. Both great but the two feelings were on opposite ends. The nameless blade wanted to destroy, while his family sword wanted to save.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out soon," the girl with the changing hair color told him. Right now it was the oddest shade of bright green and had quills coming out of some parts.

"I know but I promised Muram I'd help him. And an Arc never goes back on his word," Jaune said. But was he still an Arc to begin with? The blade did accept him as its owner, but did that make it valid?

Atlanta opened her mouth to respond when they heard Muram speak. "Stores closed for today. If you have any requests, come back tomorrow," the old man said to whoever just entered the store.

"I'm not here for a weapon. I'm here for someone else," a masculine voice replied. That made the girl blink.

"That voice sounds familiar," Atlanta said. Jaune scowled, it did seem familiar.

The duo walked to the place that separates the forge from the actual shop to see who he was talking to. Standing there was a short, pudgy man. He had oily black hair and was wearing a nice suit. "I don't know him," Atlanta frowned. "I could have sworn I knew that voice."

The tiny man looked over and saw them. "Ah! I finally found you two! It was taking such a long time to find you! Mother has been so worried, especially about you Chimera," the man said.

Jaune and Atlanta froze when he said that. "Wait," Jaune said as his mind came up with something. A fat man who kept hoarding all the rations to himself during the ritual. "Old man move!"

"Dragon, Chimera, it's time to come home," the man said as his face cracked. The same purple cracks traveled along his face as it did to them, but this man wasn't screaming in pain. No, this man wasn't a man at all.

For when the cracks completely consumed him, it broke down like shattered glass and revealed his new form.

He grew taller, taller than even Jaune in his human form. The being's face became avian, with a long yellow beak but had a white skull mask from the nostril upward, ending in two horns. Most of its body was black as a Grimm, but there were red streaks of what looked like lightning, shaping to resemble abs and pecs. On its back were two red demonic looking wings, which spread out destroying some of the stores. A red sash formed around its waist as it's two bird feet appeared.

If Atlanta hadn't moved and tackled Muram out of the way, the feather storm that erupted from the monster's wings would have impaled him! Instead, it tore through the stone wall behind the old man, destroying it.

Jaune moved into action and charged the monstrosity of a bird out the door. Since he transformed into his Grimm form partway through, the two slammed into the door and broke it in the process.

They tumbled outside onto the streets, causing people to scream at the image of two Grimms in the center of town. "It didn't have to be the hard way Dragon," the beast spoke. As Jaune stared info was given to him as he made out what it was in front of him.

"Thunderbird," Jaune growled as he stood up. The two of them were looking at each other before rushing one another. The one who was still in tune with his human-self parried Thunderbird's punch and retaliated with his own. The two traded blows, neither hitting one another due to parrying or blocking the hit.

"_I guess that practice with the old man did help,"_ Jaune thought to himself as the two cross-countered with their punches and forced each other away.

"Eat this you stupid lizard!" Thunderbird flapped his wings and a volley of feathers shot out. Remembering what happened in the store, Jaune saw that there were still people around hiding behind things.

"Shit!" He didn't know if he can do it on two sides at once, so Jaune ran to one side of the street before raising his hand. "BARRIER!" A large red glyph with various runes surrounding a large dragon head insignia. It blocked the feathers that were going to collapse a house with people inside. Meanwhile, he tanked a hit and was sent flying back, bouncing off one building and into the forge again.

As he was shot inside, Atlanta jumped out with her two daggers, Echidna, and began fighting against Thunderbird. Her attacks were swift and precise as she ran around him each time the monster tried to attack her, the young woman was just out of reach for him.

That was because her hair was currently light orange and she had a pair of feline ears on. This was Cheetah, and it gives her a speed boost. Not continuous but more for small bursts.

Not only that but Atlanta was using her Semblance subtly. It was something she learned from her sister. So when it's claw was coming down, the girl would repulse it slightly to have it deflect. And like with her battle with Chimera, she was using her propulsion to inflict deeper wounds by pushing the knives faster into the Grimm with each stroke.

As she did one more hit and run, Thunderbird grew angrier. "That is enough!" the bird Grimm shouted. "Deal with this!" Instead of feathers, red-colored electricity shot out of his hands.

"Oh crap!" Atlanta shouted as she dodged. The torrent of energy went and destroyed a building, making Atlanta pause. "No!" She hoped no one was inside that.

In her distraction, Thunderbird finally closed the gap between them. "I've got you now Chimera!" He shouted. In response, her hair shifted colors. Gone was the orange and in its place was a grey she didn't get animal features on her head, instead it was on her arms. They grew a little more hairy.

Using her Semblance, Atlanta used attraction and brought Thunderbird closer. "No, I've got you!" As he was propelled towards the girl, a giant gray fist made of magic appeared around her hand and then decked Thunderbird so hard into the ground a crater was made.

The Grimm coughed out black ichor. Its beady red eyes glared at her and used the moment to grab her wrist and shock her. Atlanta screamed in pain before punching Thunderbird in the beak and tossing him behind her.

The Grimm glared and reached behind him to pull out tiny bone mask fragments. "Thankfully Mother gave us this for aid," he grunted. Tossing all ten pieces onto the ground, the bone fragments began to expand and take form. What now stood before Atlanta was ten all-white Grimm with blank masks. The scary part was they looked humanoid, even more so than Imps.

Atlanta could only look on in horror at those beings. The Grimm part of her knew those were Grimm but the human part of her could completely tell something was wrong. "What are those?" she asked in disgust.

"Mother made them from those weaklings who aren't as strong as us," Thunderbird replied. That made the girl want to throw up. Those were former humans like themselves but…they were much eerier than the monster before them.

"They were once human?" Atlanta said. The experience was harrowing enough on its own, but these people hadn't gained what they needed to become a stronger Grimm-human. Instead, becoming something less monstrous yet scarier at the same time. This was something that she would never wish upon anyone.

"Jaune whatever you are doing hurry it the hell up!" Atlanta shouted. "There's more here than I thought!"

As to what was happening with Jaune, a few minutes prior, he crashed through the wall and transformed back into his human form. He had been slammed through the wall back into the forge. Standing up, Jaune looked up and saw that the feathers that were shot at the beginning had pierced and destroyed much of the shop. The tools were broken, the hearth dismantled, and it was like the second story was about to fall. Not only that but some of the flames had fallen out and started to burn parts of the store.

"That guy sure did a number here," Jaune said as he stood up and was about to go and put out the flames only to stop when he heard something. The sound of breaking glass. Looking inside the forge, he saw the old man who took him in and stopped in his tracks. Muram was on his hands and knees, tears streaming down his face. The worst part of it was the purple cracks on his body.

"What?" Jaune gasped. Jaune ran into the now burning forge and shook Muram. "Old man! What is happening? How'd this happen to you?" The old man didn't say anything, just crying. He shook him again. "OLD MAN!"

"...my life...my home…" Muram said looking at the burning all around him. "Everything, I had is going up in flames...and I can't even achieve my dream to fix those two swords…" The cracks spread around his body even more. "I am a failure…"

Jaune put his hand on him and tried to pump his magic into the man but found he couldn't. "What? Why can't I do the same to him as I did Atlanta?" Since he didn't have all the needed knowledge he couldn't figure out why he couldn't just yet.

"I...I'm a failure," Muram repeated as more cracks appeared along his body. Jaune bit his lip trying to figure out what to do. Why wasn't his magic helping? Why couldn't he help Muram? In fact, how did the old man get infected in the first place?

"No, it's not the time to think about that," Jaune said. "Old man!" Muram repeated the words. Over and over, all Jaune could hear was the old man saying he was a failure. It made the formerly blonde boy angry both at himself for not knowing what to do as well as the whole situation. What was he supposed to do?

"What am I supposed to do!?" Jaune angrily said to himself. To answer, Imperial Privilege gave him info, info that he made him stop for an instant. "Really? I guess it was how I did it too…"

As the purple cracks spread, Jaune thought of what knowledge Imperial Privilege gave him. So he took both of Muram's shoulders and took a deep breath. "Old man, you are not a failure," Jaune told him. He gripped the shoulders firmly. "You are not a failure."

The smith's eyes turn to look at Jaune while still breaking apart. "But…"

"No buts damn it!" The younger man looked at him. "I know this is your home and your livelihood but it can be rebuilt! It's just a building."

"But the swords…" Muram tried to counter.

"Who cares about two dumb swords? They are just two blades! How many weapons have you made in a lifetime? How many mecha-shift weapons have you created to help out hunters? Or tools to help out nonhunters?" Jaune's saw the flames encroaching and put up a barrier to protect them. "Why do you even care?"

"But they defined my life…" Muram mumbled. "Everything I did was to get better to fix them...but I never could…"

"You're letting two things define your life?" Jaune said angrily. "What about the others? Think about it! How many times people came to you to thank you. All the times people came in and appreciated your works? Don't tell me that things like that don't define what you did! There's more to life than two broken swords! Snap out of it, Muram Ayime! You're a blacksmith who helped people, like me and Atlanta! You're better than you think you are!"

The cracking stopped halfway through Jaune's speech. Muram was listening completely now, even with the tears in his eyes. Memories of those who he helped came to the forefront. All the happy Hunters he's assisted, the farmers who were grateful to him, and the various others who had a smile on their faces when they got their fixed things.

"Damned brat," Muram chuckled, the cracks receding to his core, a golden light coming from within him. The old man began to heal as he wiped his tears. Jaune noticed felt his energy, and no that was not his Aura. No the thing wafting off of Muram was _magic_. Jaune's eyes widen as Muram stood, he was like Jaune and Atlanta now. "I don't need a youngster like you telling me what I need…"

They then both heard Atlanta's call and Jaune turned to go outside. "Come on let's get out of here," Jaune said. "I need to help out Atlanta."

"Go on without me," Muram said, his eyes glowing grey. "I have something I need to do."

"But the fire…" Jaune didn't say anything as he saw Muram place his hand into the flames and didn't burn.

"Go on and help out Atlanta," Muram grinned. "I think...I think I can do something now." Jaune stared at him before nodding and running outside. Muram turned to the case that held the cursed blade and the sword of the Arc family. Even after absorbing it into his body, Jaune left it on a table because they were going to fix it before that bird came. "I think I know how to fix this now…"

Muram held out his hand and the image of a monster with a hundred hands appeared over him before holding his hands out. Two spectral hands floated over to the currently on fire tools before grabbing them. Another pair grabbed the necessary thing for actual smithing. Another pair grabbed the broken blades.

"It seems I'm far more in tune with this body than those two kids," Muram said to himself. The tools began to move before glittering with magic. And with one hit of the floating hammer, broke both blades even more.

The nameless katana pieces glowed black, while the Joyuese shimmered over a hundred colors. "Master, Mr. Arc," he said to himself. "I finally understand what I am doing. I am finally going to repay the kindness you both showed me. Please watch over me."

The magical floating hands rearranged some of the floating pieces as the flames began to consume everything around him. However, Muram stayed put and hammered away, shaping the new blade from the two fragments. The hammer hit over and over again, the magical hands fixing how the metal was arranged to become the right shape.

"That brat," Muram grinned. "Telling me what to do." The hammer hands reformed itself and grabbed more items needed for the creation. "Snapped me out of my funk...I guess I should repay him with this blade."

A blade for the future, made by blades from the past.

When it was finished, it gave off a pulse of energy that blew out the flames that covered him and his body. Using the scabbard of both the nameless blade and Joyeuse, he made a new home for the blade. As well as a new handle.

It was also thanks to his numerous hands that he was able to make this quickly, that and the magic that he was innately using for forging the blade. Muram would later say he just followed his instincts and that magic flowed through his hands. But for now…

"Brat!" Muram shouted as he tossed the blade to Jaune. The man was fighting off three of the minions while also fending off Thunderbird. Atlanta was doing the same with the seven other minions.

Upon hearing the insult, Jaune saw the katana heading for him. He kicked away Thunderbird and grabbed the scabbard of the blade. As soon as his hands gripped it, Imperial Privilege activated feeding him the info he needed. While he won't be able to retain most of it, Jaune would have to train but this would have to do.

"Let's end this," he said. "Atlanta! Move back!"

"Got it!" Atlanta easily flipped out of the way of two attacks by spinning in between them and doing a couple more backflips. She landed next to Muram and the burnt building, watching as Jaune looked at the people.

"So what, you got a sword, that changes nothing Dragon!" Thunderbird said. Even before this, he was actually on the backfoot. The minions did well to keep Jaune and Atlanta apart but they didn't provide much of an offense.

"No, it doesn't," Jaune replied. "I was already going to cut you up for fried chicken. This just makes my job so much easier. But first…" Jaune's eyes glow blue, showing that he was going to use magic. However, instead of raising his hand like he usually did, something new occurred.

A glowing blue blade appeared at his side, in the shape of the completed Joyeuse. A broad sword with a wide edge at the bottom, just before the handle. Then an indigo one appeared, then violet, then red, adding colors until it was the seven colors of the rainbow floated around him. Then a black, white and grey one floated as well. They were all pointed down towards the ground, floating gently until Jaune flicked his head.

All the blades went horizontal and then shot out, destroying the minions instantly. Thunderbird squawked in fear as he stumbled. "N-No way! You're not supposed to be this strong!"

"Please, what's a bird, like you, compared to a dragon. like me?" Jaune said haughtily. Huh, that was strange, he wasn't usually like this? Maybe it had to do with the fact that his power coursed into the blade and then back into him? The curse may still be there. Thoughts for later.

Thunderbird stood up and was about to fire off another shot of lightning, only for Jaune to vanish. The Grimm turned left and right trying to look for Jaune. The citizens and Jaune's friends, however, saw him. He was standing behind Thunderbird sword drawn. Slowly, he inserted the blade into the scabbard with an audible click.

And as he did, Thunderbird was suddenly bisected in half. He didn't even get to scream as he turned into black mist, destroyed.

Jaune let out a sigh and then looked up to see the citizens coming out and cheering. They shouted praise to him and clapped him on the back. However, he wasn't the only one. Atlanta was being praised as well for helping out.

The two part-Grimm people blushed and muttered their thanks before hiding back in the burnt home they were living in.

"Well, that was a harrowing experience," the old man said as he looked at his now burnt forge and his slightly collapsed home. "But we managed to pull through."

"I'm just glad we defeated that thing," Atlanta said. Jaune nods. His new weapon had been put away, using the same magic that originally magically stored Joyeuse. It seemed like that was one of the properties the new sword had kept.

"That reminds me. Atlanta, I still have some pieces of the metals left over. Would you like me to upgrade Echidna to become magical as well?" Muram asked. Her hair turned neon pink and cat ears appeared. The young woman instantly produced her weapons from their holsters on her waist and nodded.

"Yes please!" That made the duo grin. However, they turned to face Jaune who was silent. "What's wrong Jaune? We beat one of those things! You should be happy."

"I know, I am but I'm also worried," Jaune replied shaking his head. "I'm even glad for the new sword but…"

"But?" Muram asked. What was this kid thinking?

"The only way to turn into...hmm what should we call us Grimm people? Because we're not just Grimm after all," Jaune said. Rubbing his chin, thinking about what to call himself before the words that Muram said earlier clicked. "Harrowed."

"Harrowed?" his two friends said.

"We went through a harrowing experience, hence we are the Harrowed." The two looked at him before nodding, that was a good way to put it. "But as I was saying. To become a Harrowed, you need to eat some of that fluid they forced us to ingest. That was what made us go into this form."

"That's true!" Atlanta remembered. She then turned to Muram. "So how was any of that put into you?"

"I don't know. Unless you secrete it somehow, I doubt we did anything," Muram replied.

"Did something change during the month or two before our arrival in this city?" The lioness asked while Jaune was thinking.

"Outside of the return of those who went missing, I don't think so." Jaune blinked.

"Wait, it was one of our fellow captives who attacked us," the white-haired boy stated. "Do you think...do you think any of them could have spread it?"

"We don't know everyone who was captured. So it's hard to be sure," Atlanta replied.

"A notice came out only for those who went missing or dead," Muram said, showing them the paper. Atlanta saw that she was listed as missing, and Jaune as dead. That made Jaune frown, but Atlanta was happy to know that her parents were looking for her!

"That doesn't help us at all," Jaune groaned. "Can you think of anything else?" Muram hummed a little before snapping his fingers.

"The Maou Soda Company had started a new campaign. I remember seeing a lot of ads for it. They have an improved formula for their drinks," he informed them.

"Maou Soda? In the capital?" Atlanta said. The two teens shared a look before nodding. "So that's where we're heading next."

"What? Why?" Muram asked.

"Pretty sure whoever infected you, is probably doing it from there. Atlanta and I will set out once we've gathered supplies," Jaune told him. Muram hummed before nodding.

"Makes sense. Let me go with you." The two teens looked at him. "Don't give me that look. This whole experience dragged me into your situation and I want to help. Besides, I haven't left this place before so I'd like to see the world. This is my chance, and besides, I can make weaponry to earn a living for us."

Once again, the two teens looked at each other before nodding. "We won't stop you. We'll enjoy the company," Atlanta smiled.

"Welcome to the team old man," Jaune grinned.

"Thanks, brat," the old man rubbed his nose. He then hummed. "So what are you going to name your blade? Will you keep it as Joyeuse?"

"No. It's a new sword, so It needs a new name. And I have one in mind."

"Well don't leave us hanging, what is it?" Atlanta asked.

"It's...well, I've been looking at the Mistrali language that you like so much and chose this, _Aratana Kibou._"

"A new hope," Muram said grinning.

* * *

The destination is set! The trio of good Harrowed is planning to go to Mantle's capital. What awaits them there? What has happened to Carmine, Nora, and Ruby during this time? WHEN WILL I GET FISH TACOS FOR MYSELF? Find out next time!


	6. Carmine Gives Info

Whelp, here is a shorter chapter. I felt like I needed to write this one before going back to doing Theater. This was fun to think of honestly. HERE IS SOME PLOT WOO!

**Greer123:** I had my fish tacos. And there's going to be some vague explanations for now!

**The-lost-memories6:** I keep saying it's a redhead harem.

**Black wolf: **it's going to be vastly different after watching Vol. 7.

**Dac379:** We drink things known as Red Bull, Monster, and other crazy other stuff, would Maou Soda stand out actually?

**WearyCurmudgeon:** I had made Carmine Glynda's age...or rather Glynda as younger. Both of them are around 27-28. And I had actually made ideas for the various other characters turning to Harrowed actually haha.

**MM Browsing:** Have some answers!

**The Storm Master 567:** Man the story has changed after watching Vol 7 haha.

**Argus456:** All nice thoughts and I'm honestly still fixing somethings haha. But yeah a lot of stuff right?

Everyone else thank you!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own RWBY.

* * *

Hours before the awakening of Jaune's new sword, another event was happening far and away from Mantle.

Ruby had just finished her cry, letting Carmine soothe her as she did. Once it was over though, the two exited the elevator. "So what happens now?" Ruby asked.

"As I said, I'm going to kick your ass," Carmine said with a smile. "But seeing as you regret your decision, I won't kick it as harshly as I originally was."

"That doesn't put me at ease at all," the Reaper pouted. Ugh, she may have deserved this for saying those things to Jaune but she was afraid of what his sister may do! Looking at her now, it was actually a little hard to see the similarities outside of hair and eye color. That and the odd ability to make her feel at ease.

For one thing, Carmine held herself tall. Not that Jaune wasn't, he was taller than this sister. But the way she walked was full of confidence and pride. That Carmine could take on the world and win. Then there was that feeling of power that came from the older Arc. It was like night and day between the two siblings.

It also showed just how much at a disadvantage Jaune was growing up. It seemed they care more for the sisters than they did him.

"But before that," Carmine spoke, getting her attention once more. "I'd like to meet this friend who stood by his side to the end. Nora was it?" Once more that made Ruby flinch. Dang it, now she felt bad again.

"Of course! I was going to meet up with her to speak about Jaune anyway." The blonde woman looked at her and nodded her head.

"Lead the way." As the two made their way through the school, a lot of the boys turned to the woman and gawked. Her beauty catching them by surprise. But much like how she knew Yang would do, Carmine ignored them all as they traveled to the cafeteria.

As soon as she walked through the double doors, blue eyes land on the only ginger girl in the room. Carmine walked toward her and scooped up the relatively tinier girl in her arms and hugged her. "Uh…" Nora said looking at a confused Ruby. "Hi?"

"Hello there," Carmine said, putting her down. The rather tall woman looked down at Nora and cupped her cheeks a little. "So you were my little brother's longest supporter?"

"Uh...maybe?" Nora asked looking at Ruby for advice.

"That is Jaune's sister, Carmine," the younger girl told Nora. "She is here to look for answers about Jaune."

"Oh...OH!" Nora immediately hugged Carmine this time. "So your family does care!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" the blonde asked as they sat down at the table Ruby and Nora usually use. "Why wouldn't our family care about him?"

"Well, when he called your other sister Saphron she said you all hated him…" Nora pouted and glared at the older person. "And then you guys wouldn't answer his calls."

"Wait? When did this happen?" The confusion in Carmine's voice was very pronounced. The same as the worry etched on her face. Ruby and Nora looked at one another and they can tell that Carmine wasn't faking. There was a miscommunication between the family? "I mean sure we were a little cold to him when he was younger because his blood didn't awaken like ours but we were never outright mean to him."

"Wait what do you mean your blood?" Ruby asked.

"Uh...that's a secret for only family members," Carmine blushed. "Being a klutz is part of the Arc side of the family as is being a great hunter, so we tend to slip up slightly."

"So that's where our fearless leader gets it," Nora nods. Ruby giggles at the thought of Jaune becoming a cool hunter, only to trip up mid-pose.

"That doesn't explain what you mean by blood," Ruby said.

"It's like your silver eyes, Ruby. While I'm not sure of the implications of said eyes just yet cuz honestly my family doesn't dabble in that sort of thing," Carmine rolls her eyes. "Our family does have secrets that go way back. And again a family secret."

Ruby and Nora huffed again. That was not the answer she was looking for at all!

"But I can say that the blood from my mom's side of the family never awoke in him. We were cold because...we thought it would toughen him up living with us…" Carmine sighed softly. "Our family tends to be too strong for our own good, both emotionally and physically. My mom thought it would be best to be cold to him at least in the beginning and slowly toughen him up."

"But what happened though?" Nora asked.

"Well...dad's abilities awakened in him. At least his, Imperial Privilege activated. Oddly enough only for housework and similar things. So we accidentally began training him as the best house husband. And honestly, that was sort of a mistake on our part."

"Let me tell you, you're saying a lot of words that are making no sense to me and boy howdy it's going right over my head," Nora mumbled. "All I understand is that you were mean to my best friend as a kid, although for his sake."

"That still makes no sense," Ruby said, her eyes rolling around in confusion. A lot of what the elder Arc just said flew over her head as well. Blood? Imperial Privilege? Slightly being cold to Jaune? What the heck did that even mean!?

"Sorry!" Carmine apologized. "I tend to ramble when I speak too much. Let's just say it was accidentally our fault he's more of a house husband and not a Hunter. Wait...what were we talking about again...Oh right! When did he call Saphron?"

Finally getting back to the topic Nora and Ruby finally remembered what they were originally talking about. "Right! Uh… a few months ago, before he vanished," Nora explained. "He tried calling you guys but none of you were picking up except Saphron."

"A few months ago?" Carmine mumbled. Her mind raced until she frowned. "During that time we were away for a family reason...Saphron had to stay at home because she was sick. Wait…" Her eyes widen. "Oh no. That's not good. That's not good at all!"

"What why?" Ruby asked suddenly worried.

"Yeah, why?" Nora nodded her head.

"During that time someone had put something in Saphron! It made her not herself. She was less caring and really angry," Carmine explained. She rubbed her forehead. "In fact, it was a terrible thing they put in her that we had to get a specialist for help."

Before the girls can ask, Carmine froze and looked up. She seemed to be sniffing the air and seemed to tense. Her fingers gripped the table and the older woman seemed to shake in her spot.

"Uh, Carmine, are you okay?" Ruby asked cautiously. She hoped she wasn't angry at her! She didn't want to get her ass kicked from an angrier blonde now!

"That smell has just entered the room." Nora and Ruby wondered what she spoke about. "The smell that was on Saphron when we went to go heal her." She stood and saw who entered. Her eyes landed on the people who entered the room and Carmine began to growl.

Nora and Ruby looked to where she was looking and saw...Pyrrha and Cardin. They had just entered the cafeteria acting all lovey-dovey again. However, Carmine already stood and was walking toward the duo. "Wait...does this mean…" Nora gasped.

"Something happened to Pyrrha to cause her to go with Cardin?" Ruby completed the thought. Their eyes widen and turned toward the stomping woman. She flexed her fingers and it seemed like she was actually about to attack them. "Oh no!"

The two ran towards Carmine as she finally got to the table that sat Pyrrha and Cardin's team. Cardin looked up and saw the rather beautiful woman standing there. "Yes? How may I help you, good looking?" Cardin asked while smiling.

Next to him, Pyrrha pouted when he wasn't paying attention to her. Her green eyes turn to the woman and for some reason felt her heart ache. Just like when she learned Jaune had died. Maybe it was because this woman looked just like him?

Carmine meanwhile glared hard at Pyrrha and sniffed again before her teeth were showing. "You, how long have you been with this guy?" Carmine demanded. Now that caused the redhead to blink as did team CRDL. Nora and Ruby just arrived on the scene as they heard the question.

"Why would it matter?" Pyrrha asked in confusion. "I love this man."

"Yeah, why, you jealous?" Cardin grinned. When her blue eyes landed on Cardin, the bully actually flinched and felt like moving backward.

"Uh, Pyrrha has been with Cardin just a little before Jaune went missing," Nora replied, hoping that whatever the elder Arc sibling was doing would help her friend.

"I see…" Carmine mumbled. Before anyone else could react the cards came out and literally glowed various colors and then detonated in the cafeteria. Everyone shouted and Pyrrha had dodged out of the way. However, Cardin wasn't as lucky since he was the target. He got blasted through the wall and was flung outside.

As he was shot out, the bully was scuffed from the attack and actually lost a large chunk of Aura. Several cards flew forward and began to whirl around him. Cutting into his Aura, it was like he was in a blender. The cards were flying quickly around the boy, and the chipping at his Aura was far exceeding the amount he truly had.

As this was happening, a few trays shot out at Carmine. The older Arc didn't even bother as five cards flew out of the holsters, showing a full house. As it showed off the symbols, a wall of light appeared blocking them off. All the cards shot back into her hands and she ended up shuffling them with whatever her ability was before drawing five more. This time it showed a straight, creating a long sword covered in Aura.

Pyrrha jumped out of the cafeteria just as her rocket locker landed and she used her Semblance to bring Milo and Akouo to fight off Carmine. The older Arc managed to block the attack easily before, turning and drawing another five cards. This time it was four of a kind with a king as the fifth card. The four cards glowed and shot a blast of four different types of Dust that mixed together and slammed into Pyrrha. The champion frowned as she had to defend against the attack as ice, fire, electricity, and wind forced her back into the room. Before she could move forward another hand of cards appeared making another full house, actually making an energy wall that covered the hole that Carmine had made.

"What the?" Pyrrha said as she tried to attack the wall of light, only for the Milo to bounce off as if there was an actual wall there. She morphed it into her rifle and shot at the wall, only for the Burn Dust bullet to bounce back and actually slam into the wall behind them. But that didn't deter the champion instead her eyes found the next open window and got ready to jump on tables to get through them.

Ruby and Nora, however, grabbed her. "Wait don't go out there!" Nora shouted as she grabbed her friend.

"Why!? She's hurting the boy I love!" Pyrrha shouted back. She tried to pull away harder but Ruby joined in grabbing her.

"Carmine said he did something to you! Let her handle this!" Ruby begged.

"Did something? He just showed me how much I love him!" Pyrrha replied. "Just let me go to him!"

"This isn't like you Pyrrha! Please we just want to help!" Nora said as she pulled down her friend back to the floor, only for Pyrrha to aim her weapon at Nora's exposed face. Teal eyes widen as do silver while green narrow. Neither Nora and Ruby were expecting Pyrrha to turn her weapons onto them. "Pyrrha…" Nora whimpered.

"Pyrrha, it's us. Why are you trying to hurt us?" Ruby asked. The reaper had reached behind her already and grabbed Nora's Scroll. She hit the Emergency call button on it, signaling to the teachers that something bad was happening.

The champion from Mistral looked at the two and felt something shift? Why was she fighting against her friends? Why was Pyrrha holding Milo toward Nora and Ruby? As she was lowering her weapon, she heard a scream. Turning, the redhead saw Carmine having slashed at Cardin, to the point that his Aura wasn't holding up anymore. He was bleeding now as the blonde attacked him.

Thankfully she seemed to stop as Cardin had been knocked out. This triggered something in Pyrrha snapped and pushed away from both her friends and out the window. "I'll kill you!" Pyrrha shouted. "How dare you hurt my love!?" She threw the javelin and Carmine wasn't even paying attention to her just yet.

Her eyes were glaring at Cardin's unconscious form as the weapon approached. However, a few more cards popped out, this time revealing a flush made out of hearts. These glowed and her wounds healed. Whatever scratches she had, superficial as they were. Carmine raised her right hand and caught Milo.

"You think he's your love?" Carmine taunted turning to Pyrrha. The shield came down and other people came from the cafeteria to look at what was happening. Ruby, Nora, team CRDL, Glynda, and Ozpin. "Girl, whoever you are, you reek of that same damn smell my sister had when she was poisoned."

Carmine tossed the weapon to the side before shuffling the cards again, this time drawing a flush made of clovers. The five cards flew around her right wrist as she approached the girl who had been drugged. "Poisoned?" Pyrrha gritted her teeth as Carmine approached. Her head hurt from hearing that. Seeing the taller girl, she recalled her weapon and shakily held it in front of her. "How am I poisoned?"

"You don't think that you are?" Carmine growled. "From what I experienced with my sister...you are affected by the damned drug that pumped my sister with _Grimm Essence_." That made everyone else freeze on the spot. "I'm pretty sure who did it, but the question is how he got that damn Apathy drug."

"Apathy...Drug?" Ozpin mumbled in surprise. In a flash of motion, Carmine placed her right hand in front of Pyrrha. A purple mist shot out from the cards and sprayed into Pyrrha's face. She took a deep breath and...fell unconscious.

"W-What did you do to her?" Nora asked as she approached the two. Ruby was close by as well. Not far behind were the two professors.

"I knocked her out with one of my abilities," Carmine replied. The Arc gagged once more as she smelled Pyrrha. "She smells so badly of Grimm that it's nauseating."

"What do you mean smells badly of Grimm?" Ozpin asked in surprise.

"I mean she has Grimm inside of her. Specifically, one based on Apathy." Carmine grabbed Pyrrha and slung the girl over her shoulder. "From what I saw it was the same mix as what was in my sister. Apathy essence and some sort of aphrodisiac. It makes a person not care for what's around them and then makes them more susceptible to suggestions. We were lucky that Saphron had our blood or else she may have ended up like Pyrrha here."

"How is that even possible?" Glynda asked. The other blonde shrugged.

"I don't know. All I know for sure is that there is more out there like this and…" she glared at Cardin again. "That boy all but raped this girl with that drug, even if she was "consenting."" The way she spat out the word made the men flinch and the women gasp. "You're going to want to question him on how he got his hands on that drug."

"And what will you be doing?" Ozpin asked. He was a little confused as to how this happened, and far more worried than he ever was before. What was this? How had he not seen or heard of something like this?

"Honestly, my mother and father are looking into it right now, but to fix this girl...I need to take her to my Aunt in Mantle." Carmine sighed in reluctance. "God I hate seeing her. I will also need to contact her parents, to inform them what has happened."

"I can't let you just do that," Ozpin replied.

"No, I'll go with her! You have to let this happen!" Nora glared. "If something is needed to fix Pyrrha I'm going. I'm not losing another teammate damn it! Jaune, Ren, and Pyrrha were all hurt. I need to help them!"

"L-Let me go too!" Ruby begged. Ozpin frowned again but shook his head. "I shall only let Miss Valkyrie go, as well as Mr. Ren. However, this seems to be a team JNPR incident, and you are not part of that team, Ms. Rose."

That caused Ruby to pout. Nora patted her shoulder. "Look, as much as I want to believe that Ren wants to come, I'm sure due to his problems he's not going to come with me. I want you to look after him for me okay? I'm asking you as my best friend."

Hearing what Nora said, Ruby nodded. "Of course Nora."

The orange-haired girl turned to Carmine who smirked. "Well, I wasn't expecting another person to come, but I understand where you are coming from. Go get three weeks' worth of clothes ready. I'm going to go get a Bullhead ready to head out to Argus then switch over to Mantle there."

"Got it," Nora replied, running off to her room. She burst in and saw Ren sitting there just staring off into space. "Renny...I'm going to go help for Pyrrha and...Jaune may be alive. Did...Did you want to come?"

"Don't do that Nora," Ren said, his voice forlorn. He turned to her and his usually pink eyes dulled. "Don't give me hope." Nora wanted to refute that, to refute his claim. But after a few months of forcing his own Semblance to work overtime...she was unsure if she could do anything without any sort of proof.

Her shoulders sagged and her head hung for a moment. "One month, Renny. Pyrrha and I will be back, and then as a team we can go looking for Jaune. I swear it." Nora quickly packed some of her clothes, as well as some of Pyrrha's before going to meet Carmine at the Bullhead pads. It would take a week to get to each place and then another two to get back, due to constant refueling and the like.

Miles away, a pair of blue eyes opened and a giggle escaped from the person's lips. "Ara, ara. It seems like I'm going to get guests soon," the person said to herself. "Not more than just a few." Standing up from the chair she was sitting on, the woman passed by a mirror, showing that the person speaking was a young woman.

She had an hourglass body with white hair that was tipped in purple. Her black shirt was tight and form-fitting. Her bottoms consisted of a black pencil skirt and stockings, finally ending in purple heels. She grabs a white piece of cloth that looked like a cape.

"Now then. I wonder who will get here first? Carmine, or my cute little teddy bear?" the woman giggled. "Oh, Jaune. Aunty Merlyn can't wait to see you again."

* * *

Team JNPR is on a collision course with each other, after the revelations of what truly happened to Pyrrha. What will happen next time!


End file.
